Since the end of Super Bowl LVIII, when the San Francisco 49ers were defeated 25-22 by the Kansas City Chiefs, wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk has been under shadow of uncertainty. As one of the league’s best pass catchers, Aiyuk made it clear that he wanted the 49ers to sign him to a new long-term, expensive contract. That has failed to happen, and things are now getting to the point where a deal looks increasingly plausible, with the Pittsburgh Steelers being a possible trade partner.
The relationship between Brandon Aiyuk and the 49ers appears to be broken.
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (11) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Washington Commanders in the second half at FedEx Field.
Aiyuk recently posted on his TikTok account about communicating with Washington Commanders rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels and saying, “They [49ers] said they don’t want me back.”
The conversation between the former Arizona State Sun Devils ended there, with no further context provided. It is unclear whether this implies the 49ers have terminated any future negotiations for a new contract or that Aiyuk believes the organization cannot or will not match his desired contract conditions. However, this could simply be a tactic by the Second-Team All-Pro receiver to reopen negotiations. In any case, it appears that tensions exist between the two parties.
The 49ers face a difficult scenario with Aiyuk. They most likely do not want to lose their excellent receiver, but they also do not want to give him more than his asking price of $25 million per year. The wide receiver market has skyrocketed this offseason, and the 49ers, if they want to re-sign him, are now in a tough spot, as other teams such as the Dolphins, Vikings, and Lions have set the bar and price point astronomically high with their own receiving signings.
Furthermore, the 49ers appeared to have made their intentions clear dating back to the 2024 NFL Draft. They selected Florida wide receiver Ricky Pearsall at No. 31 overall in the first round, followed by Arizona receiver Jacob Cowing at No. 135 in the fourth.
Steelers’ trade offer to the 49ers
If the two are unable to reach an agreement, Aiyuk will most likely be looking for a new home in the near future, with the Steelers being one of the teams at the top of the list of prospective landing spots.
The Steelers, first and foremost, provide something that the 49ers do not now offer Aiyuk: want. According to Andrew Fillipponi, the Steelers are heavily pursuing Aiyuk right now.
“The Steelers really like Brandon Aiyuk. “They’ve discussed what a trade package would look like,” Fillipponi wrote on his X account.
The Steelers have had one of the most busy and noteworthy offseasons of any team in the NFL this year. The foundation of their system has been completely overhauled, owing to a new quarterback room led by Russell Wilson and backup Justin Fields. However, the squad is now without a premier receiver after trading Diontae Johnson to the Carolina Panthers for linebacker Brian Burns.
Pittsburgh hasn’t really done much to replace Johnson. They did acquire veterans Van Jefferson and Quez Watkins, and they drafted Michigan’s Roman Wilson with the 84th overall pick. Wilson is definitely the greatest option out of these additions, but he will just be a rookie. If the Steelers could get a player like Aiyuk and team him with George Pickens, they would instantly become one of the top tandems in the league.
The question then becomes, what could Pittsburgh provide San Francisco to entice them to make the move? Most analysts, including Fillipponi and Bleacher Report, predict at least a 2025 first-round pick, with the latter incorporating tight end Darnell Washington in a package trade. While adding Washington as a type of complement to George Kittle, who has little potential behind him, could be appealing, the 49ers may not go that path.
