Aiyuk's Release: Commanders Top Choice

0:00On March 20th, here's the latest surrounding the NFL. The San Francisco 49ers are set to release wider receiver Brandon Ayuk soon. General manager John Lynch made it clear, back in January, that Ayuk has played his last snap with the team. His major knee injury last October, tearing both his ACL and MCL, along with his current contract, has made trading him nearly impossible. Teams are circling, but the Washington commanders stand out as the top choice to sign him. Ayuk shares a close friendship with their quarterback, Jaden Daniels, and their general manager, Adam Peters, knows him well from his 49ers. Days. The Niners are holding out for a late-round draft pick, though most expect that won't pan out. Titan George Kittle recently shared details on when Ayuk last stepped away from the team last season. Meanwhile, salary cap expert Mike Gennedy predicts the release will happen on June 2nd. He points to some strategy into laying it past June 1st to manage cap space and force other teams to decide without Ayuk in play.

1:03Gennedy suggests the bitter frustration might be driving the wait, hoping Ayuk signs cheap elsewhere next year. For now, the 49ers gain flexibility after the draft without giving up much. The commanders, with over $50 million in cap room, can afford to sit tight. They might grab a receiver at number 7 overall next month, or scoop up Ayuk on a short-proved deal, keeping fans hopeful as this saga wraps up.