Commanders Urged to Choose Alternative for Brandon Aiyuk

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk has been on the Washington Commanders' radar for quite some time, but the viability of that option is only dwindling.

Aiyuk has remained vocal on social media, and he now claims he doesn't have an agent amid the 49ers keeping him on the reserve/left squad list. That shouldn't sit well with the Commanders' front office, no matter how connected he is with quarterback Jayden Daniels from their time at Arizona State.

Bleacher Report's Moe Moton encourages a different route for the Commanders by signing former New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs. A Maryland native, Diggs has plenty left to offer after helping the Patriots reach another Super Bowl.

"Washington should look elsewhere for receiver help-someone who’s a free agent and has been on the field over the last year," Moton wrote. Entering his age-32 season, Stefon Diggs can be a reliable No. 2 wideout. He caught 85 passes for 1,013 yards and four touchdowns with a career-high 83.3 percent catch rate as the New England Patriots’ go-to target last year."

Back to Aiyuk, the 49ers wideout hasn't played a full season since 2023, and he only had 25 catches for 374 yards in his injury-shortened 2024 season. The Commanders are looking to get back to NFC contention in Daniels' third season, and Aiyuk isn't the way to go in comparison to Diggs.

While Diggs hasn't been perfect off the field either, his legal issues from last season are resolved, so he won't miss any games due to conduct policy. That said, Diggs has also been healthy for most of his 11-year career, except for an ACL tear in 2024 with the Houston Texans.

Washington could count on Diggs and pay him what he's looking for. The Commanders have $43.91 million in salary cap space, which is a major help as Diggs could command $13.8 million annually.

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This story was originally published June 29, 2026 at 2:02 PM.