If the Commanders offered this trade to the 49ers, they would have a hard time saying no.
Trade rumors have swirled around San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk recently. Some rumors have linked Aiyuk to the Washington Commanders.
This is what Washington would have to offer to pry Aiyuk from the Niners.
Despite all of the trade rumors surrounding Aiyuk, the best-case scenario for both sides would be to sign Aiyuk to an extension that would keep him in the Bay Area for the foreseeable future.
Whether that happens still remains to be seen.
Aiyuk said recently that if he is not on the Niners next season, the team he would most want to play for is the Washington Commanders. This is a bit surprising considering the Commanders were last in their division last year.
However, Aiyuk mentioned freshly drafted LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels as a big pull factor in him wanting to play for Washington. The No. 2 overall pick in the NFL Draft and former Heisman Trophy winner certainly has a lot of talent, so it makes sense why Aiyuk would want to catch passes from him.
What would it take to get a deal like this done, though?
The only trade 49ers would accept for Brandon Aiyuk
The 49ers have remained adamant that they want to keep Aiyuk, so they would have to get an offer that completely blew them away. The only way would be if the Commanders offered up wide receiver Terry McLaurin and their 2025 second-round draft pick.
Yes, that is a lot for Washington to give up. However, the Niners should not and cannot give Aiyuk away for cheap. They are still in win-now mode and they need to do everything they can to maximize the current potential of this core group of players.
McLaurin is a very solid wide receiver who could slide right in and be effective in head coach Kyle Shanahan's offense. The pass-catcher has been remrkably consistent the last three seasons, starting every game hauling in 75 to 80 receptions for 1,000 to 1,200 yards and four or five touchdowns.
The second-round pick may seem like a lot to give up, but like I said the Niners would have to be wowed by the offer, and they would also be taking on McLaurin's sizable three-year $68 million deal he signed in 2022.
The most likely scenario is that Aiyuk will be a Niner this next season. But if he were to be traded to the Commanders, it should come at a very steep price that still allows the 49ers to be competitive in 2024.
