Chad Johnson pressures Commanders to make move for Brandon Aiyuk amid 49ers contract dispute - "What the f**k is the hold up"
Chad Johnson has blasted the Commanders leadership for failing to clinch a deal for Brandon Aiyuk amid his stalemate with the 49ers. The wide receiver was critical to the team reaching the Super Bowl last year and wants a deal that reflects his value.
San Francisco presumably has not been able to agree on what that figure is, especially in the light of the mammoth deal Justin Jefferson signed with the Minnesota Vikings with an average annual value of $35 million.
Brandon Aiyuk has been linked to the Commanders after he spoke on a video call with Jayden Daniels about feeling unwanted by the 49ers. The fact that they both played together at Arizona State in college and the quarterback is now the presumed franchise quarterback in Washington did not go unnoticed.
Now, Chad Johnson has jumped into the fray saying that if the Commanders are serious about a Super Bowl run, they need a top wide receiver like the 49ers player. He even asked what the hold-up in the whole situation might be, writing on X (formerly Twitter):
"Can someone in the Commanders organization that’s serious about changing our franchise around, becoming a contender in not just the division but giving us a legitimate shot at a Lombardi go & get Brandon Aiyuk, what the f**k is the hold up, are we all in or not?"
Chad Johnson's comments on Brandon Aiyuk highlight weakness of Commanders WRs
Chad Johnson might be aiming his fire toward the Commanders' management, but it also shines a light on their weak cast of wide receivers. Their top receivers on the depth chart are probably Terry McLaurin, Jahan Dotson and Luke McCaffrey.
McLaurin has breached the 1000-yard mark in his last four seasons and could be considered a genuine threat. However, Dotson has never crossed 550 yards in a season, and Luke McCaffrey is a rookie who was taken in the third round.
Adding Brandon Aiyuk to the mix will immediately make him the first choice opposite McLaurin, one presumes. Given Jayden Daniels is a rookie quarterback, he needs weapons to succeed. Who could be better than someone he has a connection with from college and who has proven himself in the NFL?
It could certainly make them contenders, as Chad Johnson seems to suggest. At a minimum, it would put Washington in a better position to compete in a tough NFC East and make the playoffs with Brandon Aiyuk on its roster.