Washington Football Newsletter Week of 7/6/26
Roster Additions & Social Media Drama
The Brandon Aiyuk Saga: Officially Over for Washington?
What once felt like a lock to bring star receiver Brandon Aiyuk to DC has seemingly evaporated in a cloud of social media smoke as Brandon Aiyuk turned on his strongest tie, and best chance of joining the Commanders, Jayden Daniels. It was just a month ago that Jayden referred to Brandon Aiyuk as “his brother”, but added that “his football future is out of my control”.
It would seem at this point that Aiyuk’s football future is under Jayden’s control to some extent, here is how the brotherhood unraveled over the 4th of July weekend.
The World Cup (explicit!): Jayden Daniels was approached by a Niners fan at a World Cup game who had some pretty nasty things to say about Brandon Aiyuk, while also urging Daniels to not throw passes to Aiyuk this season. Jayden didn’t defend BA, why would he? This was a fan who was out of control and not anyone who should matter to Brandon Aiyuk or Jayden Daniels. That said, Aiyuk did not take too kindly to Jayden’s laughter in the face of this critic and took to social media with his criticism.
The Alleged Text: Aiyuk posted that “5” had texted him saying that things are done his way now that he's a part of the team. A couple things on that:
That doesn’t seem like something Jayden would do, at least not in a serious way. His personality aside, Brandon Aiyuk is not on Jayden’s team and Jayden doesn’t seem to want to be involved in any of that stuff. The front office is actively building a franchise around him and at every turn he is sure to say that he trusts them to do their jobs.
The other thing I’m curious about here is whether or not fans would think that was a bad thing if Jayden actually did say that? It feels a little weird, but it’s also something the leader of the team could do. In the end it’s probably not worth speculating about because I’m skeptical Aiyuk is telling the truth in the first place.
Enjoy Retirement Pal: Daniels put the nail in Aiyuk’s proverbial coffin by posting (and then deleting) a post directed at Brandon Aiyuk that simply said “Enjoy Retirement Pal”. I will say about Daniel’s deleting the post, sure this wasn’t his finest moment, but you don’t see the young QB doing this type of thing often, and this is what it looks like to have good people around you. Brandon Aiyuk asserted - and this is true about Daniels - that Jayden is a momma’s boy, well she has at least created an environment around him where he can focus on football and protect himself from getting too wrapped up in this stuff.
I don’t know enough about these young guys and how seriously they’ll take this stuff, it’s possible, especially with their history, that they bounce back from this. Aiyuk has continued to tag his posts with “#raisehail”, and has posted positively towards Daniels since their spat, but these latest videos paint a picture of a player who is just not right at the moment.
UPDATE: Since this topic was covered on Monday, Brandon Aiyuk has alluded to not being able to get ahold of Jayden. Saying that Jayden told him Aiyuk to call him instead of handling all of this on social media, mocking Daniels in the process. Aiyuk may be attempting to get back in Jayden’s good graces but his methods continue to be suspect.
Cornerback Room Gets a Boost: Rasul Douglas Signs
Washington addresses a major defensive weakness by injecting some veteran talent into the secondary.
The Deal: Cornerback Rasul Douglas has officially signed a one-year contract worth up to $3.8 million.
The Outlook: Douglas is a capable starter who brings immediate reliability. Last year, he signed late with the Miami Dolphins as a depth piece but stepped up to start 13 games. He even won AFC defensive player of the week in week 14 against the Jets behind 5 passes defensed and an INT. Sure it was against the Jets but we’ll take what we can get at this point.
The Health Advantage: Crucially, Douglas provides starting level talent without the injury history attached to other names we’ve discussed, such as Akello Witherspoon or Trevon Diggs.
While Douglas is a solid addition, the front office isn't necessarily done tinkering at this position. At this stage of the offseason, the market is tight, but options remain open:
Training Camp Cuts: The team will likely keep a close eye on both the wide receiver and cornerback options as training camp starts to change rosters.
Trade Market: If a glaring need remains once the season kicks off, don't rule out the front office executing a trade for a CB or WR. They’re back with a full slate of picks for 2027 and could become aggressive if they field an otherwise competitive roster this fall.
Commanders Front Office Shakeup: Demetrius Washington In, Scott Fitterer Out
The Washington Commanders front office is sporting a new look this week following a major executive swap. As veteran personnel executive Scott Fitterer steps away from the gridiron to pursue a brand-new career path, General Manager Adam Peters has dipped into his past connections to bring a rising analytical star to D.C.
The New Addition: Demetrius Washington
The Commanders have officially named Demetrius Washington as their new Senior Personnel Executive. Here is what you need to know about Washington's rapid ascent through the NFL ranks:
An Analytical Vision: During an interview at the NFL Combine, Washington emphasized his core philosophy: using advanced data, analytics, and algorithms to uncover draft and roster blind spots.
A Rising Star: His forward-thinking approach hasn't gone unnoticed. In 2025, The Athletic recognized his impact by naming him to their "NFL Top 50 Under 40" list.
The SF Connection: Washington worked in the San Francisco 49ers’ football research and development department from 2015 to 2021, overlapping with current Commanders GM Adam Peters from 2017 to 2021.
Climbing the ladder: Since San Francisco Washington has collected executive experience in Minnesota, where he spent the last four years climbing the ranks—serving as the Vikings' Assistant General Manager and VP of Football Operations during his time there.
Quick Hits
NoRegrets: Von Miller said this week that he chose wrong in selecting the Commanders over the Seahawks in free agency last year. During a truly miserable season last year he had nothing but good things to say about Dan Quinn and the organization so there’s no bad blood here. And who can blame him for feeling like he wasted one of his last NFL seasons going 5-12 when he had an opportunity to win another Super Bowl? He picked Washington because of the quarterbacks, it would be embarrassing to have to admit you missed out on the Super Bowl, but Daniels over Darnold was a no brainer at the time.
The Diesel: John Riggins #44 is going up in the proverbial rafters. The franchise leader in rushing attempts, yards, and touchdowns will have his number retired week 9 on 11/8 when Washington takes on the Rams.