With receiver Brandon Aiyuk making his interest in joining the Washington Commanders more clear than crystal, the real question is whether the Commanders have interest in Aiyuk.
There have been no reports or suggestions that they are. Perhaps more importantly, there have been no reports or suggestions that they aren’t.
It’s only tampering to express public interest in a player under contract with another team. It’s not tampering to make it known that a team isn’t interested. If they aren’t, why not make it known?
If nothing else, it would save Aiyuk a lot of time and effort.
This suggests that they are. And why wouldn’t they be? Quarterback Jayden Daniels, who played in 2019 with Aiyuk at Arizona State (and who recently got an earful from a 49ers fan at a World Cup game), presumably wants Aiyuk on the team. With Daniels entering the critical third year of his rookie contract, he needs high-end help at receiver in order to put up the kind of season that will unlock a market-level extension.
As to the potential risk of Aiyuk acting up in D.C., the Commanders can easily manage it. Given that he wants to play for the Commanders so badly, they could offer him a one-year deal for the league minimum. Take it or leave it. Then, if anything happens that they don’t like, the Commanders can cut Aiyuk with minimal expense.
None of it matters until Aiyuk is able to be signed. He’s still under contract with the 49ers. And he’s still on the reserve/left squad list. Until he petitions the league for reinstatement (or unless the 49ers release him from the reserve/left squad list), Aiyuk’s obvious interest in the Commanders and the Commanders’ potential interest in Aiyuk don’t matter.
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