On Sunday, Jahan Dotson was the primary target on a short pass thrown by Jayden Daniels during the second half for the Washington Commanders. pre-season matchFour days later, Dotson was fired from Washington after being traded to the rival Philadelphia Eagles.
At first, the deal seemed simple: The Commanders getting some future draft picks in exchange for a former first-round pick wasn’t enough to convince the team’s new coaching staff. But the deal could also be the first domino to fall in a potential Brandon Aiyuk deal.
Included in Dotson Trading He was a future third-round pick that the Commanders could use in a potential trade involving Aiyuk, the 49ers’ longtime receiver who remains undecided amid an ongoing contract dispute. Right now, the 49ers are still trying to reach a deal with Aiyuk, with the Steelers’ best trade proposal reportedly close to being finalized. However, the drama is far from over.
According to Mike Silver of San Francisco ChronicleIt’s still possible that Ike could end up in Washington.
“My updated information is that everything is still on the table, including all the deals you’ve heard about… the Steelers scenario… I wouldn’t rule out Washington,” Silver told KNBR:
The leaders and Aiyuk have been linked together since Aiyuk said Washington and Pittsburgh The two teams he prefers to play for If the 49ers trade him, Aiyuk would like to reconnect with Daniels, his former college teammate at Arizona State.
Washington is in a position to make a move for Aiyuk if the 49ers are willing to do something. They have more than $37 million in salary cap space and have at least one player the 49ers might want to trade for Aiyuk. That player is Diame Brown, a four-year receiver who caught a 42-yard pass from Daniels in Washington’s preseason opener.
In a perfect world, the Commanders wouldn’t have to give up Brown or anyone else in this scenario (rookie Luke McCaffrey — the younger brother of 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey — could be an option here, too). But the 49ers clearly want a player who can fill in for Aiyuk to some degree, and Brown fits that bill. Losing Brown isn’t ideal, but the return could be a core offense featuring Aiyuk and fellow offensive lineman Terry McLaurin.
The Commanders are serious about winning now. They showed that during free agency and in April’s draft when they selected Daniels and several other players who are expected to contribute right away. Given their current mindset, it’s reasonable to wonder if the Dotson deal is a step toward making Aiyuk’s arrival in Washington a reality. If nothing else, the Commanders have put themselves in a better position to potentially land him.