Brandon Aiyuk Says He Will Sign With Commanders If 49ers Cut Him
Aiyuk Goes Public Again
Brandon Aiyuk posted a pair of Instagram Stories on Wednesday making his intentions crystal clear. In the first, he held an NFL football with a Commanders logo while a graphic called Washington the best team in the world. In the second, he looked into the camera and said: "And if I'm crazy or if I'm cappin', tell them boys cut me today." He added that if the 49ers release him, he will sign with Washington "tomorrow."
This is not the first time he has said it publicly. Earlier this week he posted a video yelling "Go Commanders! Raise Hail! Take Command!" along with a photo of Mark Rypien hoisting the Lombardi Trophy after Super Bowl XXVI.
Where Things Stand With the 49ers
The backstory here is messy. San Francisco signed Aiyuk to a four-year, $120 million extension in August 2024. He tore his ACL and MCL seven games into that season. The 49ers then voided $27 million in guarantees he was supposed to receive in 2026 after he stopped showing up for mandatory rehab sessions. He missed all of 2025 and was placed on the Reserve/Left Squad list, which means he is still team property despite the public fight.
49ers GM John Lynch said in January that Aiyuk has "played his last snap" with the franchise, but San Francisco has not released him. They are waiting on trade compensation. Dallas has reportedly floated a 7th-round pick, but Aiyuk could refuse to report to nullify any deal he does not want. He wants Washington and has made it plain he will sacrifice money to get there.
The Commanders' Angle
There is no reported trade framework between San Francisco and Washington. The Commanders have no incentive to trade for a player they might be able to sign for free. Team sources indicate Washington would be unlikely to offer anything beyond a one-year prove-it deal even if Aiyuk becomes a free agent. The draw for Aiyuk is Jayden Daniels, his former Arizona State teammate in 2019 and now one of only five accounts Aiyuk follows on Instagram.
Fantasy Outlook
Aiyuk was a legitimate WR1 in 2023, posting 1,342 receiving yards and 7 touchdowns on his way to a second-team All-Pro nod. He is 28 years old and has not played since tearing his ACL, MCL, and meniscus. The knee health question is real.
If the 49ers cut or trade him late in camp, he arrives with limited practice reps on a recovering knee. A one-year Washington deal caps his salary downside but also caps his fantasy ceiling early in the season. That said, if the knee is right and he is playing alongside Daniels, the upside is significant.