New Brandon Aiyuk Rumors Reveal Why 49ers 'In No Rush to Do…Any Favors' amid Commanders Trade Buzz

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk remains stuck in the Bay Area while the team mulls whether to trade or release him.

The Athletic's Matt Barrows and Nicki Jhabvala explained why the 49ers haven't made a hasty move to part ways with Aiyuk despite general manager John Lynch's previous declaration that he won't be with the team in 2026.

"In league circles, there's a sense that the 49ers are in no rush to do him any favors after an anguishing contract dispute in 2024 and his abandonment of the team a year later, which led to his salary guarantees being voided," Barrows and Jhabvala reported.

ESPN's Nick Wagoner noted earlier this month that the 49ers have the "flexibility" to wait to make the right decision on Aiyuk's future, as the only deadline they're facing is Sept. 1, when he has a $24.9 million option bonus due.

Once San Francisco opts to part ways with Aiyuk, it sounds like a favorite has already emerged as the frontrunner to acquire him. Barrows and Jhabvala named the Washington Commanders as "the likeliest landing spot for Aiyuk if and when the 49ers sever ties with him," noting that general manager Adam Peters was San Francisco's vice president of player personnel when he was drafted in 2020. Aiyuk also has a "close" relationship with Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels from their days together at Arizona State.

While Washington reportedly "believes Aiyuk could be a boost to the roster," Barrows and Jhabvala explained that the team "would likely consider a short-term, highly incentivized contract" following his messy departure from San Francisco. Sources added that the Commanders "appear steadfast in their unwillingness to give up draft assets to acquire Aiyuk."

Still, Washington could certainly use a productive wideout like Aiyuk on the opposite side of star receiver Terry McLaurin, so all signs point to him joining the Commanders once his tenure with the 49ers comes to an end.