There's an awfully strong likelihood wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk has long since played his final snap in a San Francisco 49ers uniform.
How things got to this point is a well-documented yet turbulent story, one that involved ugly contract-extension talks, trade rumors, cryptic social media posts and even immediate resentment from the front office after Aiyuk finally inked his deal, only to make that extension look bad after suffering a torn ACL and MCL mere months after it was signed.
Now, in light of Aiyuk's 2026 guarantees being voided and his reported unwillingness to get back on the field for the Niners to close out the season, it certainly appears as if both sides have long crossed a point of no return.
So, that prompts an understandable question: Where will Aiyuk play in 2026?
According to one well-connected league insider, it's potentially a team with plenty of familiar faces and even was linked to Aiyuk way back during those original trade rumors entering 2024.
ESPN's Jeremy Fowler links Brandon Aiyuk to Commanders
In a piece fully detailing all the drama surrounding San Francisco and Aiyuk up to this point, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler speculated on where the 2020 first-round draftee might land this upcoming offseason.
Fowler's prediction shouldn't come as a big surprise, the Washington Commanders:
"One team to potentially watch for Aiyuk is Washington. He is close with quarterback Jayden Daniels, his former teammate at Arizona State. And general manager Adam Peters -- a John Lynch disciple from his time in San Francisco -- understands the Aiyuk experience well."
Because of that link and collegiate friendship with Daniels, Washington was seen as a potential suitor for Aiyuk's services when he originally requested a trade prior to the 2024 extension.
And Peters isn't just the only familiar face either. Fans won't hesitate to recall how the 49ers traded Aiyuk's longtime teammate, wide receiver Deebo Samuel, to the Commanders last offseason after his own trade request.
Now, the only question facing Aiyuk is whether or not the Niners continue to utilize that partnership with Washington and explore a trade, or if it winds up being a case where the receiver is released and becomes free to sign anywhere.
Potentially with the Commanders.
It's an interesting development, albeit one that's not overly surprising at this point.