Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
Videos are auto-populated by an affiliate. This site has no control over the videos that appear above.
According to Sports Illustrated contributor Noah Strackbein, who writes for "All Steelers" on the network, there's a level of confidence within the Pittsburgh Steelers organization that they can strike a deal for San Francisco 49ers wide receiver
Brandon Aiyuk—and at a bargain rate.
"According to a team source, the
Steelers and 49ers trade talks are real," Strackbein wrote. "While nothing is imminent, they 'would be surprised if it didn't happen.' But it all comes down to compensation, and Pittsburgh isn't willing to budge much on price."
While it seems unlikely that the 49ers would part ways with Aiyuk for anything less than a first-round draft pick, Strackbein suggests that the Steelers don't believe it will take that much.
He speculates that Aiyuk could be obtained for a second-round draft pick and perhaps a late-round selection. Additionally, assuming the Steelers don't sign Aiyuk to a contract extension, Strackbein suggests that San Francisco might have to absorb some of the $14.124 million the receiver is slated to earn in 2024 on the fifth-year option.
Adding that the two teams are in contact, Strackbein calls the rumored negotiation one that "will likely end with Pittsburgh paying less for the star wideout than his salary is worth for his first season with the team."
The writer states that the Steelers don't need to sign Aiyuk to a contract extension, adding to the implausibility of the report. If the receiver is unhappy with his situation with the 49ers, he would be unlikely to welcome the idea of heading to a new team without some long-term financial assurances.
It also seems unlikely that the 49ers will be willing to pay a significant portion of Aiyuk's salary to have him play on another team.
Strackbein concludes, "It could come down to the wire in the NFL Draft, or it can go afterward. But until Aiyuk signs his name on a new deal in San Francisco, the possibility that he ends up with the Steelers is very real."
If the 49ers trade Aiyuk, it probably won't occur after the draft. Doing so would prevent them from acquiring a replacement who can make an immediate contribution.
The upcoming draft likely presents a pivotal moment in the talks between the player and his team. Most insiders believe that if Aiyuk remains on the roster after the draft, it signals the 49ers' confidence that a contract extension can be agreed upon.
"I would be really surprised if the 49ers don't try to make this thing work with Brandon Aiyuk,
that they don't ultimately arrive at a long-term solution for him," 49ers insider Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area recently commented. "But it's going to take a little bit of time. But I think everybody can kind of breathe easy once the first round of the NFL Draft comes and goes and Brandon Aiyuk is still on the team."
Over the past weekend, Aiyuk's agent, Ryan Williams,
shot down another sketchy rumor, stating that the receiver had requested a trade.
Aiyuk was San Francisco's leading receiver last season, amassing a career-high 1,342 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. It was his second consecutive season surpassing the 1,000-yard mark.
This week,
NFL insider Ian Rapoport acknowledged that some receiver-needy teams have reached out to the 49ers to inquire about Aiyuk's availability.
"To my knowledge, the 49ers have not entertained any of those talks. But until and unless an extension gets done, that is going to persist," Rapoport stated.
Last month, general manager John Lynch denied any serious discussions surrounding trading Aiyuk had taken place, affirming, "
I promise you, nothing's going on there."
The Aiyuk trade rumors will only heat up as the 2024 NFL Draft draws near.
Related News
Rumors circulated before and during the 2024 NFL Draft about the possibility of the San Francisco 49ers losing one of their top two wide receivers—Brandon Aiyuk or Deebo Samuel. Such a scenario could have significantly impacted the team's success in the upcoming season and posed a potential blow for quarterback Brock Purdy, who has thrived alongside the dynamic duo on the field.
However, none of these speculations came to fruition. Both Aiyuk and Samuel remain on the roster, at least for another season, though their future beyond that remains uncertain.
Aiyuk is seeking a contract extension that would position him among the highest-paid wide receivers in the NFL. At the same time, Samuel already commands a significant salary following a deal rework in 2022.
Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk were both subjects of trade speculation before and during the draft. While the San Francisco 49ers seem poised to retain both receivers for at least one more season, their long-term futures with the team remain uncertain.
The 49ers seek to sign Aiyuk to a contract extension, which could lead to efforts to offload Samuel's salary as early as next year. However, this remains speculative as the team's brass continues to express support for both players.
RELATED: When the 49ers reportedly ceased entertaining Deebo Samuel trade offers
During a segment on NFL Network's "NFL Total Access," former NFL running back Robert
The San Francisco 49ers' selection of wide receiver Ricky Pearsall with the No. 31 overall pick does not indicate an imminent departure for Brandon Aiyuk. Let's make that clear right now. The 49ers remain focused on signing their veteran wideout to a long-term deal.
While ESPN's Bill Barnwell believes that Pearsall's selection could lead to the eventual parting ways with one of the 49ers' wide receivers, he points out another impact Aiyuk's former Arizona State teammate might have on his 2024 campaign.
"Aiyuk might be delighted to link up with a former teammate, but in the short term, adding another first-round
San Francisco 49ers great John Taylor didn't mince words on Monday night while discussing quarterback Brock Purdy and wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk. The former NFL wide receiver, who was inducted into the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame, took issue with those who downplay Purdy's accomplishments. Some attribute the quarterback's success to head coach Kyle Shanahan's system and a talented supporting cast.
"A lot of people didn't want to give Brock Purdy his just due," Taylor said, per Cam Inman of The Mercury News. "'Oh, he's got this, he's got that. If he didn't have the group that he had, he wouldn't be the quarterback that he
