DeAndre Hopkins Leads List as Washington Commanders Cool on Brandon Aiyuk Reunion Talk

Any chances 49ers receiver Brandon Aiyuk may have had to sign with the Washington Commanders upon his eventual release, already dwindling, may be gone now that he is publicly sparring with their star quarterback, Jayden Daniels.

But there remains a strong sense around the league that Washington is open to welcoming a veteran receiver with a strong resume into its locker room, but one with decidedly less drama and baggage than Aiyuk would carry at this point. 

Head coach Dan Quinn is under pressure in Daniels’s third season after his coaching staff was overhauled this offseason, and this team is going to have to be led by its offense, quite likely.

Aiyuk has sabotaged himself with the 49ers and quite likely, most of the rest of the NFL as well, and he was banking on a reunion with Daniels, whom he played with at Arizona State, but that seems remote now.

Who Is The Best Match?

Future Hall of Famer DeAndre Hopkins might be the best fit for Washington. 

He played in the vicinity of Washington last season, a few miles away in Baltimore, and several execs and agents around the league believe Hopkins would be thrilled to play with Daniels.

While not a burner, Hopkins continued to show strong downfield target metrics last season with the Ravens, even though he did not see much of the ball. He has elite hands, can box out in traffic and can still make acrobatic catches.

He has played on winning teams and understands playoff expectations, and has been able to connect quickly with mobile quarterbacks who tend to get chunk yards downfield on scramble drills. 

Money shouldn’t be a hold-up, and Hopkins also comes with less fanfare and potential drama than Stefon Diggs, who has tended to bring more off-field distractions with him.

“If I had Daniels, I’d sign Hopkins,” one long-time NFL personnel executive told SportsBoom.