The Washington Commanders have made sure rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels isn’t short of targets, but a trade proposal involving Dyami Brown could reunite the second-overall pick in the 2024 NFL draft with All-Pro Brandon Aiyuk.
A trade involving the Commanders and Aiyuk is becoming everybody’s go-to scenario for concocting imaginative trade proposals. The latest comes from Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports, who sends Brown, along with second and fourth-round picks in next year’s draft to the San Francisco 49ers for Aiyuk.
Benjamin believes this deal could entice the 49ers for two reasons: “In this scenario, the 49ers don’t net a coveted first-rounder, but they secure what figures to be a relatively high Day 2 selection, plus a fourth-rounder that’d give them a grand total of six picks in the first four rounds of the 2025 draft. Brown isn’t really a needle-mover after three underwhelming NFL seasons, but the former North Carolina prospect has specific traits (blocking aggression, deep speed) that could translate quickly to Kyle Shanahan’s offense, providing rotational depth behind Deebo Samuel, Jauan Jennings and rookie first-rounder Ricky Pearsall.”
Those are good enough reasons to recommend the Niners taking a chance on Brown. The incentive for the Commanders is obvious. Namely, to land a two-time 1,000-yard receiver who knows Daniels well from their days at Arizona State in 2019.
Aiyuk is keeping the trade buzz at fever pitch, with his latest contribution to post an image of Daniels at Commanders minicamp on his TikTok account, per the dc sports guy.
General manager Adam Peters and head coach Dan Quinn would need to decide if Aiyuk’s established credentials and apparent desire to play in Washington are worth foregoing Brown’s potential and precious draft capital.
Dyami Brown Still Has Upside for Commanders
Brown has hardly lived up to the billing as a third-round pick in the 2021 NFL draft. Instead, he’s merely flashed glimpses of becoming the big-play, vertical threat the Commanders need.
His raw, straight-line speed has never been in question, but Brown has had trouble completing catches. The problem showed up at key moments last season, like when Brown let this touchdown get away against the Chicago Bears in Week 5, per Mark Tyler of SB Nation’s Hogs Haven.
Another score went unclaimed four weeks later against the New England Patriots, on a play Ben Brown of The QB List believed the wideout “absolutely” had to make.
Despite these costly drops, Brown still has upside for the Commanders. Especially after the arrival of Daniels.
The latter won the Heisman Trophy largely thanks to awesome arm strength that allowed him to take the top off of defenses at will for LSU. Brown’s 16.4 yards per reception career average makes him an ideal deep target for Daniels.
Brown could finally unlock his potential in an offense set to be run by new coordinator Kliff Kingsbury. His is a system based on ‘Air Raid‘ principles designed to stretch the field through the air, so Brown could be an asset.
It’s worth the Commanders finding out, rather than using the 24-year-old to explore a trade for Aiyuk the franchise has already declined.
Brandon Aiyuk Deal Looks Unlikely
Although the buzz about Washington trading for Aiyuk continues, the chances of a deal actually happening appear remote. Particularly since the Commanders have already explored the option, but ultimately “decided not to do that deal,” according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (h/t George Carmi of Full Press NFL).
That hasn’t stopped the proliferation of trade proposals involving Aiyuk and the Commanders. The player has also done his bit to keep the rumor mill churning by not being shy about talking up a potential move to Washington.
Aiyuk-related trade chatter isn’t waning, but so far at least, the Commanders aren’t listening to the talk. Instead, Peters, Quinn and Kingsbury appear content to roll into the season with the current supporting cast around Daniels.
For the moment, that group will include Brown.
