We are less than a year removed from Brandon Aiyuk g a long-term extension with the San Francisco 49ers. But despite the fact that the four year, $120 million deal hasn’t even kicked in yet, it appears as though the relationship between the two sides may have gone sour, and there are already trade rumors surrounding the 27-year-old wide receiver.
Has Brandon Aiyuk’s Relationship With 49ers Gone Sour?
Those rumors have been fueled in recent weeks by an apparently severed relationship with his quarterback. Back in May, Brock Purdy locked in a long-term contract to remain in San Francisco for the foreseeable future, inking a five-year contract with the 49ers worth a total of $265 million.
Who says no? https://t.co/Fq48XY8mxP
— Grant Cohn (@grantcohn) June 7, 2025
It was noticed that Aiyuk was one of the teammates who did not take to social media to congratulate Purdy on his big payday. That came on the heels of Purdy being absent for Aiyuk’s wedding that took place this offseason, an event that guys like Ricky Pearsall and Kyle Juszczyk attended, which began the eyebrow raising and swirling questions about the relationship between the quarterback and his wide receiver.
One person who was present at the wedding was Jayden Daniels, the quarterback of the Washington Commanders. He and Aiyuk played one season together at Arizona State, and developed a connection that is well known publicly.
Could San Francisco Trade Brandon Aiyuk For Terry McLaurin?
So, according to 49ers beat writer Grant Cohn, San Francisco trading Aiyuk to Washington might not be too far-fetched of an idea. In a recent article for Sports Illustrated, Cohn outlined a hypothetical wide receiver swap, which would reunite Aiyuk with Daniels with the Commanders. The idea concept would involve a player-for-player trade, one that would see the 49ers bring in Terry McLaurin as something of a replacement.
There would be benefits for both sides. The 49ers would be getting rid of a player who is obviously unhappy with his situation (Aiyuk unfollowed the team on Instagram recently), and would bring in a proven replacement while saving a healthy chunk of change on their payroll. The Commanders would reunite Aiyuk and Daniels, and bringing in a player who was one of the most productive at his position just a couple of years back.
After Brandon Aiyuk was named a Second Team All-Pro in 2023 by racking up 1,342 receiving yards, he played in just 7 games in 2024 before sustaining a season-ending injury. Even his averages dropped significantly, as his yards per game mark fell to 53.4, the second-lowest mark of his NFL career.
