49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk: ‘They said they don’t want me back’

Since Tee Higgins signed his franchise tag with the Cincinnati Bengals last week, San Francisco 49ers star Brandon Aiyuk has become the most intriguing holdout among NFL wide receivers this offseason.

And it appears Aiyuk and the 49ers are nowhere close to a solution.

A video emerged on Aiyuk’s TikTok account on Monday morning showing the wideout facetiming his former college football teammate at Arizona State, current Washington Commanders rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels.

“What happened, bro?” Daniels is heard asking Aiyuk in the video.

“They said they don’t want me back,” Aiyuk responds.

“Real s—?” Daniels says.

“I swear,” Aiyuk replies.

Daniels seems excited by that news — perhaps because, if Aiyuk was indeed talking about the 49ers, the door could be open for the two to reunite with the Commanders.

Aiyuk, entering the final year of his rookie contract, was heavily involved in trade rumors up to and during the 2024 NFL Draft after his 49ers came up just short against the Kansas City Chiefs in February’s Super Bowl. But Aiyuk was ultimately not dealt, and 49ers general manager John Lynch said in early May the team was “past” entertaining trade offers for Aiyuk and fellow star pass-catcher Deebo Samuel Sr.

San Francisco has one of the most talented rosters in the NFL, but that has put Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan in a salary cap crunch with big extensions handed out to Samuel, running back Christian McCaffrey (the reigning NFL Offensive Player of the Year) and tight end George Kittle, among others. Quarterback Brock Purdy, who emerged from being the final overall pick of the 2022 NFL Draft to becoming the 49ers’ starter, will also be due for a massive pay raise above his rookie salary in the coming seasons.

While Aiyuk has proven to be a stellar receiver since the 49ers selected him in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft, it seems likely he could be the odd man out as San Francisco prioritizes other stars.

If Aiyuk does depart the 49ers, the Commanders make sense as a potential destination beyond just his connection with Daniels, the team’s new franchise quarterback. Washington general manager Adam Peters was a key part of the 49ers’ front office when the team drafted Aiyuk in 2020, and is plenty familiar with the now-26-year-old pass-catcher.

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