No, Brandon Aiyuk isn’t yet a Pittsburgh Steeler. And unless the team bumps up their offer, getting a deal done could be difficult. In the latest update from NFL insider Dianna Russini, the 49ers aren’t “satisfied” with the offers the Steelers have made so far. They’d like to receive a wide receiver as part of the deal, though they’re “open” to other positions.
This tracks with previous reporting that indicated Pittsburgh’s offer wasn’t strong enough to get San Francisco to part ways. At one point, that made it seem like the Steelers were out of the deal, though the two sides have been talking throughout the week. Aiyuk seems insistent on being traded to Pittsburgh, complicating the deal and keeping the Steelers in the hunt.
Pittsburgh giving back a wide receiver would be difficult to do. They want to acquire Aiyuk because their wide receiver room is weak. Beyond George Pickens, the Steelers have major question marks at the position. Rookie Roman Wilson flashed early in camp practices but suffered an ankle sprain the first day in pads, and though Van Jefferson has impressed this camp, he’s far from an Aiyuk-caliber player.
With the Patriots bowing out, the Steelers and Cleveland Browns appear to be the teams still in the mix for Aiyuk. The Browns could offer more from a receiver-aspect, potentially sending back Amari Cooper. But if Aiyuk doesn’t want to go there, and it seems he doesn’t, the Steelers could be the only trade partner the 49ers could dance with. The alternative is San Francisco trying to find a third team to trade with to get back a wide receiver, though those deals are exceedingly rare in the NFL and far more common in the NBA.
Until then, all sides are in a holding pattern. And they’re all exerting their leverage. Aiyuk determining which team he goes to, the 49ers determining what’s an acceptable trade offer, the Steelers likely believing they can wait the 49ers out and watch them fold. Russini’s update doesn’t tell us much that we don’t already know, but it seems to be the state of things heading into the weekend.
