Brandon Aiyuk could have a new home in the coming days.
The 49ers have negotiated the frameworks for deals with the Browns and Patriots for the disgruntled wide receiver, Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.
It’s now in Aiyuk’s hands to see if he can work out a long-term contract with one of the two teams.
The 49ers have given the Browns, Patriots, Commanders and Steelers permission to negotiate with Aiyuk’s agent, Maiocco reports. The Commanders removed themselves from trade talks, and the Steelers declined to meet the 49ers’ trade demands, per Maiocco.
The Browns and Patriots have presented an offer to Aiyuk, who is holding in and not practicing at 49ers’ training camp.
He skipped the offseason program, and the slow progress of contract talks prompted him to ask for a trade.
Aiyuk is scheduled to make $14.124 million on a fifth-year option but wants a market value deal with 21 receivers now with an annual average at least $20 million.
Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com notes that the Browns could afford Aiyuk under their cap if Amari Cooper was part of the trade.
Yes, intentions can change.
When receiver Brandon Aiyuk formally requested a trade three weeks ago, the 49ers reportedly has “no intention” to trade him. Now, the 49ers reportedly are talking to multiple teams about a potential deal.
Via Matt Barrows of TheAthletic.com, “multiple teams” have contacted the 49ers about a potential trade. No deal has been done, yet.
Earlier today, in response to one report of a deal in place with the Steelers, a source with knowledge of the situation told PFT that “no decisions have been made.” Which possibly implies that a decision could be made, in time.
Before the draft, when Aiyuk was trying to get a multi-year deal from the 49ers, it was decided that he’d see whether another team would pay Aiyuk what he wants. And, we’re told, five teams were willing to do it. But the 49ers accepted none of their trade offers.
Possible destinations include the Steelers, Commanders, Browns, and Patriots. The challenge will be striking a deal that gives the 49ers value in 2024, and not just one or more draft picks for 2025.
Aiyuk is under contract through 2024, at a base salary of $14.1 million. He has been holding in — present but not practicing — since training camp opened last month.
The Jayden Daniels era in D.C. begins on Saturday.
Via multiple reports, Commanders coach Dan Quinn told reporters on Sunday that Daniels will play in the team’s preseason opener at the Jets.
It’s no surprise, but it’s never entirely clear how coaches will approach the distribution of reps in a three-game preseason. And there’s also a calculated risk to shifting any quarterback from the no-touch practice rules to full-contact football.
Daniels should be able to protect himself. He enters the NFL as one of its most physically gifted quarterbacks. The 2023 Heisman Trophy winner can both throw and run his way out of trouble.
It’s unclear how long he’ll play. Other options on the roster are Marcus Mariota, Jeff Driskel, and undrafted rookie Sam Hartman.
It’s also unclear whether the Jets’ starter, Aaron Rodgers, will be playing in that same game.
The Commanders added a veteran defensive tackle to the team on Sunday.
They announced the signing of Taylor Stallworth to the 90-man roster. Cornerback Christian Holmes was waived in a corresponding move.
Stallworth played one game for the Titans last season and he appeared in games for the Texans and Chiefs in 2022. He spent the previous two seasons with the Colts and opened his career with two years in New Orleans.
In 58 total regular season games, Stallworth recorded 52 tackles, 4.5 sacks, and two fumble recoveries.
Daron Payne, Jonathan Payne, Johnny Newton, John Ridgeway, and Phidarian Mathis are also competing for spots up front in Washington.
The Cowboys are expected to sign Shaka Toney and Al-Quadin Muhammad after working out four edge rushers in Oxnard, California, on Thursday, Patrik Walker of the team website reports.
Their agreement with Muhammad previously was reported.
He has 157 tackles, 12 sacks, four forced fumbles and a fumble recovery over the course of his career.
Toney, a former teammate of Micah Parsons at Penn State, played under Cowboys defensive line coach Jeff Zgonina in Washington.
The Commanders waived Toney in April, days after the league reinstated him from a one-season suspension for violating the league’s gambling policy.
Toney, 26, entered the NFL as a seventh-round pick of the Commanders in 2021. He appeared in 26 games during two seasons in Washington, totaling 16 tackles, three quarterback hits and 1.5 sacks.
Carl Lawson and Justin Hollins also worked out for the Cowboys on Thursday.
Kicker Riley Patterson has landed with a new team.
The Commanders announced that they have claimed Patterson off of waivers. The Jaguars dropped Patterson on Tuesday.
Patterson was 16-of-18 on field goals and 41-of-44 on extra points while playing for Detroit and Cleveland last season. Ramiz Ahmed was the only kicker on Washington’s roster, so it appears they’ll be having a competition for the rest of the summer.
The Commanders also confirmed their previously reported signing of wide receiver Byron Pringle. They released wideouts Damiere Byrd and Dax Milne in corresponding moves to create roster space for the two new arrivals.
Commanders wide receiver Jahan Dotson will be the first to say he wasn’t good enough last year.
As a rookie in 2022, Dotson showed a lot of promise, finishing the season with 523 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. But in 2023, Dotson -- despite being healthier, getting more playing time and having more passes thrown his way -- saw his production decline to 518 yards and four touchdowns. Dotson said he has to get better.
“I wasn’t a fan of my season last year,” Dotson said. “So, I went really hard at it this offseason, making sure that I’m better than I was last year -- a lot better -- because I have really high expectations for myself, and I hold myself to a very high standard.”
Dotson believes a new coaching staff, new offense and new quarterback will be a fresh start for him.
“That’s really what this offense is about, getting our play makers in space letting us do what we do best,” Dotson said. “So you guys got to see that on full display today. But you know, it’s kind of just the start of it. We’re looking to do that more and more each and every day and kind of create these explosives for the offense.”
The development of rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels is the top priority for the Commanders this season. Dotson playing at a high level would make Daniels’ job a lot easier.
Byron Pringle is headed back to Washington.
The receiver has re-signed with the Commanders, according to agency Katz Brothers Sports.
Pringle, 30, appeared in all 17 games for Washington in 2023. He was on the field for 17 percent of offensive snaps and 41 percent of special teams snaps, finishing with 14 receptions for 161 yards.
Pringle began his career with the Chiefs in 2018 and won Super Bowl LIV with the club in 2019. His best season was in 2021 when he caught 42 passes for 568 yards with five touchdowns.
Washington has not yet announced a corresponding move for the wideout’s addition.
The Eagles are bringing in an offensive lineman with a lot of experience in the NFC East.
Mike Garafolo of NFL Media reports that the Eagles are set to sign Nick Gates to their 90-man roster. Gates spent last season with the Commanders and he played for the Giants in his first four seasons.
Gates started 10 of the 13 games that he played in Washington and he started 29 of 44 games while with the Giants, but missed extended time after breaking his leg in 2021. He has played at all positions on the line at various points in his career.
The Eagles have been using Mekhi Becton at right guard this week with Tyler Steen sidelined by an ankle injury. Gates could find his way into that mix or compete for a depth role once he’s up and running in Philly.
The Commanders haven’t named Jayden Daniels their starting quarterback yet and that’s just fine with Daniels.
It’s hard to imagine anyone other than the second overall pick in the draft taking the first offensive snap of the season for Washington, but head coach Dan Quinn and General Manager Adam Peters said this week that the team will hold off on formally tabbing him as the starter for the time being. On Friday, Daniels said he’s happy to compete now and in the future.
“I like competing,” Daniels said, via John Keim of ESPN.com. “Regardless if I’m announced as the starter or not, I still have to compete. You can’t be content with your job or [be] comfortable. So for me it’s not a problem at all. It’s up to DQ and AP for the decision, but for me, I can control how hard I practice and I compete.”
Daniels said that he’s looking forward to joint practices because they offer a chance to see “where you stand” against a variety of defensive looks and he believes that will be a good learning experience heading into his rookie season.