Since the start of free agency, the Washington Commanders have been relatively active in signing new players to fill roster needs. They haven't filled all of them, though, and while most teams are heavily focused on the 2026 NFL Draft, Adam Peters knows that he may have to work some magic to make sure the rest of the team's needs are met.
One of the things the Commanders still seek is a wide receiver who can take some of the pressure off of Terry McLaurin. Many mock drafts have predicted that the Commanders will select Ohio State wide receiver Carnell Tate with the No. 7 overall pick on Thursday, but they could very easily select a defensive player like Sonny Styles, too.
So, if they go defense, how do they answer the receiver problem? One thing everyone has been keeping their eye on is the situation between the San Francisco 49ers and Brandon Aiyuk, who is absolutely on the trading block, and the 49ers have received some calls.
#49ers GM John Lynch said he’s had trade discussions with teams on WR Brandon Aiyuk but acknowledged it’s not a high probability they find a taker.“We’ll see it through the draft—if something happens, great; if not, we’ll re-evaluate after.”Lynch confirmed again that Aiyuk… pic.twitter.com/asNrl7PIC0
Aiyuk has "more than likely" played his last snap with the 49ers, and one of the top landing spots for him has long been the Commanders. Not only does he provide another outlet for Jayden Daniels, but he's also a former teammate and close friend of Daniels from their time together at Arizona State. The familiarity between them will ease the transition.
However, the Commanders are lacking in draft capital as it is, and giving up a fifth-round pick for Aiyuk is less than ideal. They already lack a second- and fourth-round pick, so that would leave them without a fifth-round pick as well. San Francisco GM John Lynch essentially acknowledged the obvious that finding a trade partner to take on Aiyuk's contract was unlikely.
At his pre-draft press conference, John Lynch says he doesn’t think there’s a “high probability” the 49ers will trade Brandon Aiyuk this weekend. But he says there’s a chance that happens. He says there have been discussions with specific teams about a trade.
If the 49ers are willing to accept a sixth-round pick for Aiyuk (and maybe a conditional 2027 pick), then this could be possible for the Commanders. But, given their lack of draft capital, they would be hard-pressed to give up anything higher than that. Especially since Aiyuk is not going to immediately take the pressure off of McLaurin. After tearing his ACL and MCL in 2024, Aiyuk hasn't seen the field at all. It will take time and solid play from the wide receiver for teams to believe he's a legitimate threat.
Post-draft? That's a whole different ball game.
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Could Commanders trade for Brandon Aiyuk during the 2026 NFL Draft?