NFL insider confirms obvious with Commanders, Brandon Aiyuk

The 2026 NFL Draft is over, and Brandon Aiyuk remains with the San Francisco 49ers. San Francisco general manager John Lynch has said since the end of the season that Aiyuk has played his last down for the 49ers, but they were still looking for a trade partner, rather than just outright releasing him.

The top rumored destination for Aiyuk is the Washington Commanders. He's a close friend of quarterback Jayden Daniels, while general manager Adam Peters knows Aiyuk well from their shared time in San Francisco. Aiyuk's contract, combined with his knee injury, makes a trade almost impossible. No team will take on a player's contract unless they've seen him to ensure he's completely healthy.

So, what's the latest on Aiyuk and the Niners?

During Day 3 of the 2026 NFL Draft, NFL insider Ian Rapoport confirmed the obvious: Aiyuk wants to be in Washington and if, and when he is free, he plans to sign with the Commanders.

"They are expected to release him, they just haven't done it yet," Rapoport said via Niners Wire. "What the 49ers would like to do is trade him. The Washington Commanders are expected to have interest. I would say significant interest, but they don't want to make a move for him because they know the 49ers are going to release him. And the 49ers don't want to release him because they believe the Commanders want him and would potentially trade for him, which is why we're in this situation right now."

When will the 49ers move on from Aiyuk? They still do not need to make a move until before the season, so this could go on for a few more months, unfortunately.