How 49ers’ Brandon Aiyuk is 'lighting money on fire' amid Commanders rumors, concerns

NFL insider Adam Schefter of ESPN raised eyebrows when he recently suggested that current San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk had damaged his chances of landing with the Washington Commanders or a different club due to the numerous odd social-media posts Aiyuk has shared over the past handful of weeks. 

During Thursday's edition of the ESPN "NFL Live" program, league reporter Jeremy Fowler offered more information about Aiyuk's short-term future. 

Brandon Aiyuk "lighting money on fire" via offseason actions

"He's lighting money on fire, is what he's doing, every time he puts an Instagram video out," Fowler said about Aiyuk, per David Bonilla of 49ers WebZone. "He is on the left squad list for the 49ers still. To get off that list, he has to apply to Commissioner Roger Goodell. He has to file paperwork. I'm told that hasn't happened."

The 49ers voided the remaining guaranteed money attached to Aiyuk's contract because he didn't participate in necessary rehab sessions related to a serious knee injury he suffered in October 2024. While he has teased on multiple occasions that he wants to sign with the Commanders once he is released, there's no indication such a divorce is imminent. 

Aiyuk hasn't played a regular-season snap since he went down with the initial setback. 

"I'm told the 49ers haven't given any sort of firm indication to him whether he's going to be cut, traded, whatever," Fowler said about Aiyuk. "Teams I've talked to say that he's essentially untradeable right now. And I've talked to some people around the league who think that when he does get cut, if he gets cut, that he might have to sign a vet minimum deal somewhere because of how all this has gone." 

Brandon Aiyuk is now a "buyer-beware situation"

Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio and others have repeatedly mentioned that the 49ers will owe Aiyuk more than $26M for 2026 if the wideout reports for training camp in late July, practices and then suffers a season-ending injury. Meanwhile, several members of the NFL community have voiced concerns about Aiyuk over the videos he has shared on social media in recent weeks. 

"It's a buyer-beware situation, certainly," Fowler added about Aiyuk. "Clearly, he wants to go to Washington. Washington's not planning to sign a receiver right now — maybe closer to training camp, they revisit it. But the outlook is not great for him right now."

On Thursday, Florio questioned whether anybody is "advising" Aiyuk amid what may be becoming an uncomfortable situation. Florio also mentioned that "no one knows that the Commanders even want [Aiyuk]."