Getty
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk.
Wide receiver remains a significant need for the Washington Commanders, though the NFL draft is unlikely to bring the franchise the type of player who can effectively complement Terry McLaurin in the pass game.
Washington holds just the Nos. 7 and 71 picks across the first four rounds, and its top-10 selection could range from an edge-rusher like Miami’s Rueben Bain Jr. to a linebacker such as Sonny Styles of Ohio State, or even land the Commanders Jeremiyah Love out of Notre Dame if they decide to go crazy and throw positional contract value out the window for an elite prospect.
One, or both, of the top two wide receivers on most draft boards — Carnell Tate of Ohio State and Jordyn Tyson of Arizona State — could be there for the taking as well, though wideout is a need for the New York Giants and Cleveland Browns, teams that pick at Nos. 5 and 6, respectively.
Given the circumstances, the Commanders might be best served to hunt a wideout in free agency, even after adding a couple to the roster in March. Perhaps the most talented and potentially available player at the position is San Francisco 49ers former second-team All-Pro Brandon Aiyuk.
Commanders Need to Pair Terry McLaurin With Second Proven Wide Receiver
GettyWashington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin.
Moe Moton of Bleacher Report on Wednesday, April 1 named Washington the top landing spot for Aiyuk.
The Washington Commanders are the most logical match for Aiyuk, who played with Jayden Daniels at Arizona State in 2019. … Daniels and Aiyuk can rekindle their rapport at a time when the Commanders need a reliable playmaker to complement two-time Pro Bowler Terry McLaurin.
With a former teammate and an upstanding veteran [in McLaurin] who plays his position on the Commanders roster, Aiyuk would have the support and structure around him to be a productive, premier receiver in Washington.
Aiyuk earned All-Pro honors in 2023. He did not play a snap last season, partially due to a devastating knee injury he sustained during the 2024 campaign, and also because of issues with the 49ers.
Brandon Aiyuk Should Be Available on One-Year Value Contract if 49ers Release Him
GettySan Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk.
Aiyuk inked a four-year extension worth a total of $120 million in August 2024. In July of last year, San Francisco voided the 2026 guarantees on Aiyuk’s deal based on how he approached the rehabilitation following his knee surgery.
While Aiyuk is still on the 49ers’ roster, ESPN’s Nick Wagoner explained earlier this week why keeping him in the Bay Area is unfeasible.
Keeping Aiyuk seems far-fetched for multiple reasons, not the least of which is financial. Aiyuk’s base salary of $1.215 million in 2026 is a relative bargain, but he’s still due a $24.935 million option bonus Sept. 1 that if exercised will be prorated through 2030 if he remains on the roster.
That bonus is no longer guaranteed because the Niners voided his remaining guarantees last July after Aiyuk failed to participate in mandatory rehab sessions for his injured right knee. … For Aiyuk, the more likely outcome remains the Niners moving on whether it’s via release or trade.
Should Aiyuk hit free agency, Spotrac projects his market value at $12 million on a one-year contract.
Max Dible covers the NFL, NBA and MLB for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Chicago Bears and Cleveland Browns. He covered local and statewide news as a reporter for West Hawaii Today and served as news director for BigIslandNow.com and Pacific Media Group’s family of Big Island radio stations before joining Heavy. More about Max Dible
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