Following his official trade request Tuesday as part of the latest development in his contract saga with the San Francisco 49ers, wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk’s name is being connected heavily to the Pittsburgh Steelers once again.
While the 49ers have stated multiple times that they aren’t trading Aiyuk and have no intention of even having conversations at this point, the Steelers have the financial capability to take on Aiyuk’s contract and hand out a lucrative contract extension, should they want to make that move.
So, the two sides in the situation between the 49ers and Aiyuk, and even the Steelers on the perimeter, are at the same spot they were at in May: a holding pattern.
For former NFL GM Doug Whaley, who appeared on the 93.7 The Fan Morning Show Wednesday, trading for Aiyuk would be a good move for the Steelers due to the need currently on the roster for receiver help alongside George Pickens as well as the financial freedom the Steelers will have next offseason.
“I mean, now you’d have one legitimate guy that keeps a defensive coordinator up night and then you have a number two in Pickens and a number two-A in [Pat] Freiermuth,” Whaley said of what a trade for Aiyuk would do for the Steelers, according to audio via 93.7 The Fan. “Now you have three receiving options with two running options and a heavy offense that can do play action. I think that’s a good one to two games added onto the Steelers’ record.”
On paper, adding a weapon like Aiyuk would do wonders for the Steelers. Since trading wide receiver Diontae Johnson in a dealfor cornerback Donte Jackson, the Steelers haven’t exactly replaced Johnson’s route running and separation abilities.
Rookie Roman Wilson has some of that in his game, but he’s not at the level of Johnson. That’s where Aiyuk could step in, holding down the X receiver role in the Steelers’ offense, allowing Pickens to stick at the Z and dabble in the slot at times.
Having that route runner and separator like Aiyuk would draw some attention away from Pickens. In the process, it would open up the field even further for the likes of Freiermuth and veteran receivers Van Jefferson, Quez Watkins and Scotty Miller, as well as Calvin Austin III, depending on who would make the team.
Looking at it from a paper perspective, it’s a move that makes all the sense in the world from an Xs and Os standpoint.
Aiyuk’s talent alone and the attention he draws from opposing coordinators would make the Steelers’ offense even more difficult to deal with, as Whaley points out. Paired with a standout defense, that should be worth at least two wins for the Steelers in 2024, even with a very difficult schedule.
The chances of the trade happening though seem very slim, considering the 49ers have planted their flag in the ground that they aren’t interested in trading him. It takes two to tango, and the Steelers might be the only party in a trade wanting to tango at the moment.
For now, we’ll wait and see what develops in the Aiyuk saga. It’s a fun addition to dream about, but it seems unlikely that the dream will come to fruition at this point.
