The Washington Commanders could use some help at wide receiver. Washington has Terry McLaurin, 2022 first-round pick Jahan Dotson and lots of unproven commodities.
Curtis Samuel departed in free agency and is now in Buffalo. The Commanders are still waiting on Dyami Brown, and Jamison Crowder is in more of a supporting role at this stage of his career. Mitchell Tinsley and Kazmeir Allen will battle to earn a roster spot in training camp.
With nine picks in the 2024 NFL draft, Washington could look to add a receiver on day two. The 2024 receiver class is loaded, and you will be able to find contributors in the fourth round.
But…..what if the Commanders traded for some help at wide receiver?
Who would Washington trade for? How about San Francisco 49ers star Brandon Aiyuk?
Why Aiyuk? First, he’s good—really good. So why would San Francisco trade him? For one, the 49ers already paid Deebo Samuel and have a ton of big contracts on the books. They may not be able to afford what Aiyuk will command.
Aiyuk is heading into his fifth NFL season in 2024. He’s a free agent after the upcoming season. Ahead of this year’s NFL draft, his value will never be higher.
Back to the Commanders. They still have plenty of salary cap room and do not have a ton on the books in future years. Washington is a perfect trading partner for San Francisco. Most importantly, the Commanders have the picks to satisfy the 49ers without trading the No. 2 overall pick.
Trading for Aiyuk and pairing him with McLaurin would give the Commanders one of the NFL’s best duos. Add in Dotson, who could play in the slot, and that’s a dangerous trio.
Then, there is the new Washington GM, Adam Peters. Peters came to the Commanders from the 49ers, where he spent the past eight seasons. He was a major decision-maker in selecting Aiyuk in the first round of the 2020 NFL draft.
There is one more connection. Aiyuk played at Arizona State in 2018 and 2019. His quarterback for his final season with the Sun Devils was Jayden Daniels. Daniels, along with North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye, are the top contenders to land in Washington with the second overall pick.
Daniels and Aiyuk are reportedly close.
A trade still seems unlikely, as Peters must find a left tackle early in the 2024 NFL draft. It would probably only take one of Washington’s two second-rounders, in addition to another pick, to land Aiyuk. For as much as Peters has talked about using the draft to build the roster, it seems unlikely he’d part with too much draft capital. However, in this instance, he’d be trading for a player he knows and likes.
Anytime you can add an impact player, you do whatever is possible to land that player. With a new quarterback coming, adding another talented wideout wouldn’t be the worst thing for Washington.
