Commanders linked to All-Pro wide receiver due to Jayden Daniels connection

Commanders linked to All-Pro wide receiver due to Jayden Daniels connection originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The 2025 season has been a disappointing one for the Washington Commanders. After making it all the way to the NFC Championship game last season, the Commanders are just 3-9 and well outside of the playoff picture in the conference.

As a result, the Commanders will likely look to retool over the offseason in an effort to climb back into contender conversation. One possible target for Washington is San Francisco 49ers star wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk.

Commanders linked to 49ers' Brandon Aiyuk

Aiyuk hasn’t played for the Niners this season as he continues to recover from a serious knee injury he suffered last season and the two sides appear headed for a split over the offseason. If he is ultimately made available, Aiyuk, 27, will have several suitors and the Commanders could be a team to keep an eye on, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

Fowler pointed to Aiyuk’s preexisting relationship with Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels as a potential factor, as well as Commanders general manager Adam Peters’ familiarity with Aiyuk. Aiyuk and Daniels played college ball together at Arizona State, while Peters was San Francisco’s assistant GM before joining the Commanders.

“One team to potentially watch for Aiyuk is Washington,” Fowler wrote. “He is close with quarterback Jayden Daniels, his former teammate at Arizona State. And general manager Adam Peters -- a John Lynch disciple from his time in San Francisco -- understands the Aiyuk experience well.”

There are some obvious concerns when it comes to Aiyuk, mainly involving health. He hasn’t played in a game since Oct. 20, 2024 when he suffered a torn MCL and ACL against the Kansas City Chiefs. It remains to be seen exactly how he’ll respond from that serious injury. Plus, there’s been some odd behind-the-scenes stuff going on in San Francisco to the point that the two sides appear headed for divorce just over a year after he signed a four-year, $120 million deal with the franchise.

But Aiyuk is still just 27 years old and was one of the better receivers in the league prior to injury. The last season in which he was fully healthy  in 2023 he went over 1,300 receiving yards and was named Second-Team All Pro. If he can get back to being that player he could be a major addition for any team, including the Commanders.

Obviously Aiyuk and the 49ers have to officially part ways before other teams can start to line up. But if that does happen as expected, keep an eye on Washington.