Getty
(Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
The Buffalo Bills already made one big addition to their wide receiving corps this season, but could be falling out of contention for another big trade.
The Bills sent considerable draft capital to the Chicago Bears to land DJ Moore, who is expected to compete for the No. 1 spot on the depth chart. The Bills had also been connected to San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, but one NFL analyst believes he’s now headed to another destination.
In a new trade speculation, Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport suggested that Aiyuk could be headed to the Washington Commanders for a late-round pick swap.
“Granted, Aiyuk was a 1,000-yard receiver in 2022 and 2023. But the 49ers have to know at this point that any return in a trade will be minimal,” Davenport wrote. “Aiyuk is going to have to be realistic about his contract as well—if he gets released, he’s going to get less on the open market than he would on a restructured deal.”
Davenport added that the Commanders would be a good fit, needing another target for quarterback Jayden Daniels.
“If the parties involved can face those realities, a Washington Commanders team that needs wideout help opposite Terry McLaurin makes sense as a trade partner, especially since Aiyuk played with Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels at Arizona State,” Davenport wrote.
That could be bad news for the Bills, who had been seen as a strong landing spot for Aiyuk. Jarrett Bailey of The Sporting News had previously suggested the Bills could land Aiyuk for a pair of late-round picks.
“Aiyuk is coming off an ACL injury, and the 49ers are reportedly open to trading the star receiver just one offseason after signing him to a four-year, $120 million extension,” Bailey wrote. “His cap hit in 2025 is just over $11 million, which Buffalo can afford with a few easy contract restructures and cuts. And while the “everyone eats” mentality is something the Bills embrace, they still need a true No. 1 separator on the outside, which Aiyuk would provide them with.”
Nathan Dougherty is a sports reporter covering the NFL for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Buffalo Bills, Detroit Lions and Miami Dolphins. Previously he wrote for the Rochester Business Journal and served as the assistant editor of athletic trade magazines Coaching Management, Athletic Management and Training & Conditioning. He is based out of Rochester, New York, and loves everything football. More about Nathan Dougherty