Earlier this week, it seemed increasingly likely that San Francisco 49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk would be traded, with the Pittsburgh Steelers a very real possibility. Reports came through today that Aiyuk and the 49ers are re-engaging in trade talks, and Dianna Russini of The Athletic added to that reporting with a report that the Steelers and 49ers haven’t engaged in discussions about Aiyuk in 24 hours.
With Pittsburgh not giving San Francisco an acceptable package and Aiyuk not wanting to go to the Cleveland Browns or New England Patriots (who dropped out of the running this week), the 49ers are looking to keep him in San Francisco instead of trading him for less than they value him.
As of last night, the Steelers were waiting to hear from the 49ers on if a trade would happen, and given that they haven’t negotiated it today, it’s fair to assume that the two sides are at an impasse. The 49ers want to win now, and would look for a receiver in exchange for Aiyuk. Meanwhile, the Steelers don’t want to deal anyone from their current roster in a trade, and would instead give up future picks.
Russini added she texted a front office executive about the situation, who said it might come down to a situation of whoever blinks first, but it feels like the 49ers don’t want to trade Aiyuk.
Instead of losing one of their top receivers, San Francisco and Aiyuk are back at the negotiating table, and it seems as if the idea of him coming to Pittsburgh has lost some steam. It feels hard to believe given the news cycle today, but the Steelers have a preseason game against the Houston Texans at 7:00 p.m. tonight, and we’ll be getting a look at a group that feels increasingly likely to be Pittsburgh’s receiving corps when they take on the Atlanta Falcons in Week 1.
Pittsburgh can’t be ruled out as a destination, as there’s still a chance that San Francisco and Aiyuk won’t agree to terms on an extension and the team looks to move him. But the fact that they’re going back to the table with him after a week where it seemed likely he would get traded means they want to keep him, and they won’t settle for compensation that they don’t feel is commensurate to Aiyuk’s value. That’s been the hold-up in a trade with Pittsburgh so far, and it could mean that Aiyuk stays put in 2024.
Even if he doesn’t sign long-term with the 49ers, he could always play out the last year of his deal and hit free agency after this season. But it feels as if this saga finally might reach some closure soon, whether it’s Aiyuk getting traded or him remaining in San Francisco.
