Pat McAfee didn’t exactly hide his reaction to Brandon Aiyuk’s mess with the 49ers. On Wednesday’s episode of “The Pat McAfee Show,” McAfee and his crew kicked around some of the offseason’s biggest hypothetical swings, including A.J. Brown landing with the New England Patriots and Mike Evans heading to the San Francisco 49ers.
The Patriots idea drew a quick reaction from McAfee.
"AJ Brown for the Patriots is going to be crazy," McAfee said. "I'm thinking 10 receptions. One of these games, though, he's going to get early, and it's going to be like, Oh, they got AJ Brown now.
"And then Mike Evans to San Francisco. We've been watching some clips come out of him running around in San Francisco.
He has over a thousand yards, what, for 20 straight years? Brock Purdy adding that.
And then Brandon Aiyuk, good luck out there, man."
That last line fit the reality around Aiyuk, who has spent the past few weeks publicly going after the 49ers after they voided his $27 million in 2026 guarantees and kept him under contractual control. The dispute traces back to his knee rehab after the October 2024 ACL tear.
According to the source material, Aiyuk’s recovery period came with problems inside the building. He reportedly missed mandatory team meetings, skipped scheduled rehab sessions and stopped communicating with the coaching staff.
By December 2025, San Francisco had placed him on the Reserve/Left Squad list. He is now eyeing a move to the Washington Commanders ahead of the 2026 season.
Washington general manager Adam Peters was asked about the Aiyuk speculation during Tuesday’s media session, though he never said the receiver’s name. JP Finlay of 106.7 The Fan brought up whether a player’s online behavior factors into the team’s evaluation process.
"That's a good roundabout question," Peters said. "I mean, we look at everything. ... I mean, it's a great question, but we do look at everything, and, you know, we want to make sure it's the right player to be in our locker room, in our bloodstream, and in our culture."
Peters also said the Commanders weigh character and other off-field issues, but that the process still starts with the tape. He said the team also gathers feedback from former teammates and coaches before making any final judgments.
In Other News...
DeAndre Hopkins Just Created A New Patriots Question At Camp
DeAndre Hopkins brief stop in Foxborough gave the Patriots a little extra star power during training camp, with the veteran receiver spending a few days around the wideout room to observe and help out. It was an unusual arrangement, but one that fit the tone of camp: a chance for younger receivers to pick up a few things from a player who has spent years at the top of the position.
Mike Vrabel said Hopkins time with the team has now ended as planned, closing the book on a short stay that was always meant to be temporary. The move still leaves an interesting question hanging over New England, though, because Hopkins presence was enough to make people wonder whether this was just a one-off visit or the start of something more down the road. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Camp Just Exposed One Roster Battle Fans Feared Most
The Patriots are about to reach a more revealing point in camp, with their fifth practice session set to be the first in full pads. After a few days of lighter work, that should give coaches a better read on a roster that has already been reshaped by major additions at receiver and by the early push from players trying to hold onto jobs. Romeo Doubs and A.J. Brown are still building chemistry with Drake Maye under Josh McDaniels, while the offensive line has shown enough promise to suggest the group may be coming together faster than expected.
Kayshon Boutte has also turned early opportunities into a real roster argument, which matters on a depth chart that suddenly has more competition than it did a month ago. Camp is still young, but the next few padded sessions should tell a lot about who can separate from the pack and who is simply keeping pace. For a team trying to sort out its passing game and stabilize the pieces around Maye, those evaluations carry more weight than usual. [Read more 🡒]
Vrabel Just Raised A Bigger Patriots WR Question As Boutte Surges
Training camp is usually where a team learns whether its receiver room is deep enough to survive the season, and Mike Vrabel made clear that New England is still sorting through that question. He pointed to the value of competition at the position and left open the idea that the Patriots could improve the group in a few different ways, whether through added draft capital, bringing in a player or simply sticking with what is already there.
Kayshon Boutte has helped make that conversation more interesting. Vrabel praised the third-year receiver for a strong offseason, a good start to camp and the professional way he has handled his role, noting how much he has already meant to the team's success. With Boutte in a contract year and trying to keep building on that momentum, the bigger issue for New England is whether his rise is enough to settle the depth chart or only sharpens the need to keep looking. [Read more 🡒]