When a star player around the NFL is linked to possible trade rumors, the Pittsburgh Steelers typically aren’t involved. For better or for worse, outside of the trade for Minkah Fitzpatrick, the Steelers haven’t usually made big swings of that nature. Until recently, they hadn’t even spent a ton of money on free agents. However, with Omar Khan and the rest of the Steelers’ new-look front office in place now, business as usual is not what it used to be.
As a result, when a player like 49ers’ receiver Brandon Aiyuk becomes available, it’s not improbable that the Steelers would be in the market. Heavy speculation of the Steelers’ interest has surfaced since Aiyuk’s frustrations with not getting a new contract became public, and while it doesn’t seem likely, a trade isn’t out of the realm of possibilities. Especially as it seems the relationship between the 49ers and Aiyuk is growing worse.
Matt Barrows, a reporter for The Athletic who covers the 49ers, recently said on San Francisco’s 95.7 The Game that the team is not going to be as lenient with Aiyuk as they were with Nick Bosa when he was holding out and seeking a new deal last year.
”I still think a deal’s gonna get done. I still think it would be a travesty if Brock Purdy went into this season without his favorite target,” Barrows said. “All those fines will start piling up in the summer. No indication that the 49ers will forgive Aiyuk for absences the way that they did for Nick Bosa.”
Barrows seems confident Aiyuk will remain in San Francisco this year, but that certainly doesn’t sound like a ringing endorsement for their relationship beyond that. Last year, Bosa held out for over a month, not getting a new deal until the 49ers were about to play an actual game, and he accrued a hefty amount of fines. However, the 49ers chose to rescind those fines in a sign of good faith to a star player now on a massive contract. Aiyuk, it seems, isn’t going to get such treatment.
It could be nothing, simply because this is what’s more common compared to the Bosa situation, but it should set off some bells and whistles. It seems like the 49ers have paid everyone on their team except Aiyuk. If they do not end up rescinding the fines, that could spell trouble in paradise.
Aiyuk’s personal trainer also seems to believe a deal won’t get done, and this could be part of the reason why. Either way, it’s setting the stage for the Steelers to have a shot to seriously upgrade their receiver room. Trading for Aiyuk would cost a lot of money and draft capital, and the Steelers probably aren’t just one wide receiver away from being a Super Bowl contender, but taking the risk could pay off. It’s better to have fought and lost than to never have fought at all.
