- 23 hours ago
It seems that teams who might be interested in Brandon Aiyuk are having trouble getting in touch with him - how much of a worry should that be for Washington, or any other team?
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00:00But I actually wanted to start the show with Brandon Ayuk because I did some digging last night.
00:06I thought a lot about this.
00:07There was another report that came out from Adam Schefter yesterday that the Niners and teams that have been granted
00:14permission to talk with him, I guess,
00:16have had a hard time getting in touch with him this offseason.
00:19And it just made me freeze and wonder, are we even having the right conversation right now on Brandon Ayuk?
00:27Think about it.
00:28What has the dialogue been?
00:30The discourse has been when will he sign with the commanders, not if.
00:37This is no longer a is he going to be released, will he play in the league this coming season,
00:43and when he's released, will he end up in Washington discussion.
00:47I feel like that was yesterday, a month ago.
00:50That was a long time ago.
00:51This is now about when will the commanders put pen to paper with Brandon Ayuk,
00:56and will there be enough time for him to get into football shape before training camp?
01:01Will it be during camp?
01:02Will it be after at the start of the season?
01:04How's this going to work?
01:06We've also talked about why San Francisco is dragging their feet.
01:11Is this fair to the player?
01:13Is their pettiness excessive?
01:14These are the types of things people are talking about.
01:17How much is he going to make, whether it's with Washington or another team?
01:20Now it seems like everybody's just kind of, again, decided it's going to be with the commanders.
01:24But he's not a certainty.
01:26This is not a locked-in production that you can just plug into your algorithm in the R&D department
01:32because you know what you're getting out of Brandon Ayuk.
01:34He is now very much a question mark because of his injury history, the character baggage he's providing.
01:41But we're drilling down on the particulars of a contract and the number he'll make.
01:46And I wonder if we're putting the cart before the horse a little bit.
01:50Shouldn't we be talking more about whether or not this should even be something they're interested in?
01:56When did we stop having that conversation?
02:00And did we even have it thorough enough?
02:04I often reference one of my favorite scenes in film history from Jurassic Park.
02:10And this has now become a Jurassic Park situation where Jeff Goldblum, who was a great actor,
02:15was playing Ian Malcolm, who was the cynical voice of reason, a doctor, in the original OG Jurassic Park.
02:22And he says something at one point that became one of the more iconic lines in that film and in
02:28film history,
02:28where he says, your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could
02:35that they didn't stop to think if they should.
02:40And to me, this is where I'm at on Brandon Ayuk at this point.
02:44I feel like the national media, I'm guilty, I'll raise my hand, the Grant and Danny radio program,
02:52the local media, and I think fans locally, are all so preoccupied with whether or not it's going to happen
03:02and when it's going to happen and how much he's going to make and the particulars and what it's going
03:07to look like,
03:07that we're not stopping to ask a more important and more pertinent question, which is whether or not it should
03:15happen.
03:17This is a player who got $45 million in guaranteed money.
03:23$45 million at signing.
03:28That was a four-year contract that San Francisco agreed to with Brandon Ayuk for $120 million.
03:36And the $45 million guaranteed at signing could have gotten bigger than that as time went on,
03:41if you're healthy and on the field.
03:42$76 million in overall guarantees.
03:45Now, he subsequently tore his ankle.
03:46Not his fault.
03:48Bad luck.
03:48I have empathy for that.
03:50That's terrible.
03:51And then shortly after that, had some kind of falling out with the team
03:55because he stopped showing up at rehab and he punted on tens of millions of dollars,
04:03something we have not really seen before.
04:06When you get paid after you're at odds with the team, you win the stalemate.
04:11He was McLaurin.
04:12The 49ers were the commanders.
04:14They're banging heads.
04:16Ayuk, younger, with a better season under his belt, was able to actually win the game of chicken.
04:23Then he gets hurt.
04:24Or this falling out leads to him saying, eh, nah, not anymore.
04:28I'm good.
04:30Doesn't show up to rehab.
04:31Says he doesn't need the money.
04:33The Players Association swoops in and says, hey, this is why we're here.
04:37We're going to help you out.
04:38Let's go get your money back.
04:40What they did was wrong.
04:41And I don't know if it's Ayuk's deal or their decision or how we got here,
04:46but they decided, actually, never mind.
04:48We're not going to press this.
04:49Which would tell you that they didn't feel like they had a legitimate case
04:53that the player got screwed over or wronged by the team.
04:56If it's in your paperwork that you signed, that when you're hurt, you got to show up,
05:00you got to post, you got to rehab, or they're able to get the money back.
05:04I'm not taking you to court to get that money if you didn't do the things you needed to do,
05:07which is what seemed to me like, from afar, that's what happened.
05:12But how many guys ever have gotten that kind of cash and then detonated a deal?
05:21You're just not going to find them.
05:25On top of that, Brandon Ayuk will have not played in almost two calendar years when this season starts.
05:31Two.
05:31He missed most of the 2024 season.
05:34He missed all of the 2025 season.
05:40It's not just a torn ACL.
05:42Tore the MCL in the right knee as well.
05:44So you're talking about someone who will be coming back after a one-and-a-half-year hiatus.
05:51In and of itself, that much time away from the National Football League,
05:55see Le'Veon Bell and some other skilled position players,
05:57even if you're not significantly injured, which he is,
06:00but that much time away, when you add in the injury,
06:02should mean you lower all the expectations in year one.
06:06Well, it's not like this is a multi-year deal.
06:08It would make no sense to sign him for two or three or four years.
06:11This is a one-off.
06:12This is a show-me opportunity if I've ever seen one.
06:17But you now lower what you're anticipating to get out of him early on
06:21because it has been so long since he played.
06:24He's going to be in let's-get-back-into-football-shape mode initially.
06:30I think you're just hoping that he starts looking like the old Brandon Ayuk
06:34as the year goes along.
06:35That's basically the goal.
06:37And because of that, you're not going to give him a lot of money.
06:40You're going to say, hey, you're hungry to show everyone you can still play.
06:43We have a significant need at the position you play outside, wide receiver two.
06:48You've got a great relationship with our quarterback.
06:51We're all pulling the rope in the same direction.
06:53We'll give you a few million bucks.
06:55We'll give you an incentive-laden contract.
06:57You come in here, and you play for this amount of money.
07:01But when you take the injury history,
07:05the fact that it's going to be really difficult for him to look
07:08like a difference-making receiver early on,
07:11even if he's in incredible shape,
07:13and there's reason to wonder whether or not he is right now,
07:17that should be a significant red flag.
07:21It's not the only one.
07:23You throw in that his most recent relationship ended in flames with the team.
07:28He's sliding into your DMs.
07:30You Google his name to see, let's see what this guy's all about.
07:33And you find out he cheated,
07:35and that the ex is saying awful things about the relationship and him,
07:39and that the kids are mad at him.
07:41But he's handsome.
07:42So you're going, well, maybe it'll work out different with me.
07:45All right, I'm not telling you that you can't have a bad relationship with one team,
07:49and a good change of pace with the next organization that gets the most out of you.
07:54But it's got to be acknowledged, right?
07:56And it is part of the equation here as we decide, is this worth it?
08:02What should this look like when the commanders and Brandon Ayuk start chatting whenever they're allowed to?
08:11There's also some quirks here that bother me a little bit.
08:14This report yesterday from Adam Schefter saying that when the Niners need to reach him, they can't,
08:20or that other teams, and this one's odd, I'll say,
08:23because it's weird to me that other teams would be touching base with Brandon Ayuk.
08:26I guess it's possible, since we know that the Niners are trying to trade him and want to trade him,
08:32it is possible that he's saying when other teams have reached out to Brandon Ayuk,
08:37they have not been able to get in touch with him because the Niners have allowed teams to touch base
08:41with him.
08:42But if that's the case, by the way,
08:45that teams like the commanders or others that are interested in employing him struggle to get a hold of him,
08:52to me, that's a deal breaker.
08:54That is a non-starter right off the bat.
08:57That's weird to me.
08:58I can even get past the lack of maturity and the decision-making when he posted a video a while
09:07back
09:08of himself driving 110 miles an hour past the facility, recorded it, or live-streamed whatever he was doing,
09:14and posted it on social media.
09:15But all of these things add up to me going,
09:20we're talking about if they can.
09:24We're not talking about if they should.
09:30Isn't that the actual debate?
09:32I get it.
09:34You want a receiver.
09:35So do I.
09:36And in fact, Washington needs a receiver.
09:40But if you are going to be more discerning with Brandon Ayuk,
09:43if you're not sure, like I'm not sure, that this is something that can work,
09:48that it wouldn't end in flames,
09:51there's other options.
09:52It doesn't have to be Ayuk.
09:54It's not like the only guy you can sign is B.A.
09:57And if you don't,
09:59then you just start the season with your current roster.
10:02There's a litany of players available in free agency.
10:06Teams that are desperate and act desperately,
10:09when you reek of desperation,
10:11things backfire.
10:12People can smell it on you.
10:14They'll take advantage of you.
10:17Jawan Jennings is still out there.
10:19Sign him.
10:20There's your wide receiver, too, on the outside.
10:24All fixed.
10:25What's next?
10:25Done.
10:26You know, if you want to bring Debo Samuel back and kick those tires,
10:29I don't love the idea, but it might be a better idea.
10:33If you don't mind going really old for a one-year deal,
10:36and this front office has had no problems or qualms doing that at other positions,
10:40DeAndre Hopkins could be signed for a pittance.
10:44You know, Josh Reynolds is coming off of a hip injury.
10:46If you're willing to take the risk on guys coming off of injuries,
10:49it seems like you are.
10:50That's a guy who could be an outside receiver who played in the David Blau offense.
10:56Might have even crossed paths, I believe, with Blau in Detroit
10:59and has been in this Ben Johnson offense.
11:01Knows this scheme.
11:02Would play the same role here.
11:04Tim Patrick has had a renaissance to his career.
11:06Wasn't overly productive at the end in Jacksonville last year.
11:09A couple of injuries removed a few years ago.
11:12But size on the outside.
11:14And if you want to roll the dice, by the way, on someone who has a checkered past with teams
11:19and is maybe a problem child,
11:21Stephon Diggs was a 1,000-yard guy basically last season.
11:25If you want to roll the dice on someone who's got injuries,
11:28Tyreek Hill's waiting on the phone to ring.
11:30I don't get why it's just become this formality that it's Brandon Ayuk or Bust
11:36and that Ayuk is a lock to come to Washington.
11:38I know that he wants to be here.
11:40I'm quite sure that Jaden Daniels would prefer that his guy comes here.
11:45But is that the best move for the team?
11:50And then the last part of this, when I reiterate over and over again,
11:54should they, is something else that could work against them.
11:58Let's say Ayuk actually is in really good shape.
12:01Let's say that Ayuk actually is not going to be a problem when he gets here.
12:07You have no control over when he's going to be available.
12:10And the Niners appear hell-bent on basically being as annoying to Brandon Ayuk as possible.
12:17Call it petty, call it small, whatever you want to.
12:21They're doing business right now in a way where they have decided
12:24that they are going to try to inflict as much frustration on him this offseason as they can.
12:32In fact, John Lynch's press conference,
12:34I don't know if you guys heard this right after the draft.
12:37He was asked for an update on Brandon Ayuk,
12:39and he basically said, yeah, give me a call.
12:41We'll just sit and wait.
12:42Phone's on.
12:44This was Lynch.
12:46No new update right now.
12:48You know, we're available.
12:50Give us a call.
12:53And, you know, like I said earlier, I think it's the prudent thing to do.
12:58He's an extremely talented player.
12:59He's been an extremely effective player in our league.
13:04The situation didn't work itself out here.
13:06That's not to say that it can't be rekindled somewhere else.
13:10And we'd be happy to do something with anyone if the opportunity presented itself.
13:16But you're not paying attention right now?
13:18Not anytime soon.
13:19What's that?
13:20Not right now.
13:22Not anytime soon.
13:23Sound like a GM who's ready to just cut a guy free so he goes and signs with Washington
13:28and gets to hang out with his pal?
13:30It's going to be a little while.
13:32I mean, what if they wait until the actual last second here?
13:36What if it's until after cut-down day, through training camp, no time to work in the offense,
13:42no time to get on the same page with his old college buddy, not at LSU, but a school
13:47before that, a long time removed, in Jaden Daniels?
13:51T.J.
13:52Hushman's Ada is a former mentor of Brandon Ayukes, was one of his coaches at one point
13:57in time in terms of route running and some things.
13:59And he has been very outspoken on this turn in terms of his actions.
14:06And over the last year or so, to the point where people are upset with Hushman's Ada
14:10speaking out about Ayukes, who's been his guy.
14:12He was on a recent podcast with Emmanuel Acho and basically said,
14:17look, I got nothing personal with him.
14:18We had a great relationship.
14:19We haven't talked in a while, but I am worried about him.
14:21But he referenced what he would do if he was the 49ers.
14:25He thinks there's a chance that San Francisco could take this thing all the way up
14:30to the first week of the football season.
14:32Listen to this.
14:33If you're the Niners, the way B.A. just acted this past season, ghosting himself
14:39and kind of alienating himself from the organization, I said, I told somebody I would release his
14:46ass the day before the start of the regular season.
14:49Yeah.
14:50The day before.
14:51Yeah.
14:51You ain't finna show him no love.
14:52Why would I?
14:53Yeah.
14:53Why would I do you a favor?
14:59If that's the case and you got to wait until the week of the season, are you the same amount
15:05of interested in the player who hasn't played in a year and a half, who's got to get into
15:11a football shape and who you're not sure how well he's going to fit into the locker room in a
15:17building
15:17where all we talk about is culture, culture, culture?
15:20I mean, we've got the brotherhood bell.
15:22I guess he'll fit into the brotherhood because he's Jaden's boy.
15:25But if we had a culture bell, we wouldn't be able to beep the thing anymore.
15:28It wouldn't it wouldn't work anymore.
15:30Culture, culture, culture.
15:31Culture, more culture than in like a lab.
15:37So I ask you guys at 800-636-1067, should we be asking the question of whether or not
15:47Washington should acquire Brandon Ayoub rather than when they're going to acquire him?
15:52800-636-1067.
15:55And is there a path for this thing working out really, really well?
15:59Wouldn't you agree that it's much more likely that a move like this, based on everything
16:05we know right now, doesn't work?
16:07And if your argument is, very simply, if you don't pay him a lot of money, if it's a few
16:12million dollars, then so be it.
16:14What's the worst that can happen?
16:15I actually tend to agree with that.
16:17I think there's something to that.
16:18But I'm paying him five or six million, something.
16:21I'm not giving him 15 million dollars on a one-year deal.
16:25It's not happening.
16:26800-636-1067.
16:29How interested should the commanders be in Brandon Ayoub?
16:33We're through the draft.
16:35They went slot, not outside.
16:37Gives you a feeling.
16:38Tells you what they're thinking.
16:40They've got the answer, either internally or coming still.
16:45Opposite Terry McLaurin.
16:46All signs pointing to Brandon Ayoub.
16:49Do you need more?
16:49Do you need more?
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