The Brandon Aiyuk trade rumors have dominated NFL media, and specifically Steelers media, over the last few weeks.
There were a few other teams in the mix originally, including the New England Patriots and Cleveland Browns, but it’s seemingly narrowed down to two options. Either he will work out a contract with the San Francisco 49ers or get traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
With how much buzz there’s been around a potential trade, the Steeler players have certainly been hearing about it.
George Pickens would be very much affected by a potential trade for Aiyuk and has a lot on the line depending on this outcome. He shared how much he’s been paying attention to the rumors today after practice, courtesy of Yardbarker’s Aaron Becker on Twitter.
“Not really much. I just be with these guys. I lock in only on the Steelers.” Pickens said. “I hear about it, but not really indulging it.”
Things get a lot more interesting for Pickens if Aiyuk is alongside him on the Steelers this season. For all Pickens has accomplished in his first two NFL seasons, it’s clear that Aiyuk has a better resume. He would likely be the top dog, at least to start, in Pittsburgh.
From what we know about George Pickens, he probably wouldn’t like that arrangement much. It would affect how involved he is in the offense, and ultimately how much he would get paid down the line. It’s hard to imagine the Steelers shelling out two massive contracts at the position, and we know Aiyuk isn’t going to accept a trade unless that level of deal is in place.
It could be a good thing for Pickens’ production, however. Right now, he’s the clear No. 1 guy. He’s going to get attention from defenses simply due to a lack of other elite options in the Steelers’ passing game. With another 1,000-yard receiver in Aiyuk in the fold, he could potentially feast on weaker matchups.
Getting Aiyuk would be huge for this offense, and George Pickens is honestly probably better suited to be an elite WR2 at this point in his career instead of a lower-end WR1. Mike Tomlin would only have to hope that’s a role Pickens would embrace.
