The Pittsburgh Steelers are reportedly “waiting to hear” from the San Francisco 49ers if the team will be able to acquire WR Brandon Aiyuk, according to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Dulac also reiterated his report from yesterday that the Steelers aren’t trading anyone from their current roster in a deal for Aiyuk, while adding that San Francisco wants a wide receiver to replace Aiyuk. Pittsburgh isn’t going to deal from their wide receiver corps to add Aiyuk, as it’s a group that needs to be upgraded, hence why the team is on Aiyuk to begin with.
Pittsburgh seems to be the team to beat for Aiyuk right now, but he could always stay with the 49ers on a contract extension or be traded elsewhere. Aiyuk would have to agree to sign an extension with whatever team is looking to acquire him, as no team would trade assets for Aiyuk for just one year, but the compensation also has to be enough to motivate the 49ers to move him.
The possibility of a third team getting involved to facilitate San Francisco getting a receiver for Aiyuk has been floated around, but three-team trades are incredibly hard to pull off in the NFL and that doesn’t feel like a very plausible outcome. With the Steelers not giving up a player, it could lead to San Francisco asking for an increased draft compensation package for Pittsburgh, one they may not be willing to meet.
That seems like it could be a hold-up in the trade right now, as Pittsburgh won’t overpay for Aiyuk and their unwillingness to move off a player could be a detriment to a win-now 49ers team. The fact that a trade hasn’t happened yet despite all signs pointing toward one means that there could be a number of complications that the two sides are working through.
The saga for Aiyuk has felt like it’s been nearing the end for a while now, and if San Francisco agrees to trade Aiyuk without acquiring a player, the Steelers may give up multiple Day 2 picks in order to acquire Aiyuk. It sounds as if we’ll have a resolution of some sort in the coming days or potentially hours, and it may or may not wind up with Aiyuk wearing the Black and Gold in 2024.
The Cleveland Browns were the other team reported to be in on Aiyuk, although he reportedly doesn’t want to play for the Browns. That could mean that another team we haven’t heard from yet gets involved or Aiyuk winds up staying in San Francisco if a trade with Pittsburgh doesn’t come to fruition.
