Steelers’ Trade, Extension Offers Underwhelming 49ers, Brandon Aiyuk

The Brandon Aiyuk story, which was one of the most talked-about receiver offseasons this side of Antonio Brown’s 2019, is still on hold. The 49ers are still home to the second-team All-Pro, who is holding out for a deal that San Francisco has decided is ridiculous, at least for the time being. The Steelers have made a comeback, but the Patriots are thought to have prepared a sizable extension offer while they and the Browns discussed the disgruntled wideout with the 49ers. While the Steelers have acquired players such as Diontae Johnson, Brown, Chase Claypool, and Santonio Holmes through trades, they are not recognized for making big acquisitions that include pass catchers. Still, they are a part of the Aiyuk group.

According to a source on Wednesday, Aiyuk is considering a move to the Steelers, but it’s possible that they won’t make the necessary offer on either front. According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, neither of Pittsburgh’s offers—in terms of trade compensation or length—are unduly expensive. The 49ers’ trade offer is unlikely to have much of an impact on the latter figure for the NFC West team, as Aiyuk and the John Lynch-led front office have been negotiating for months. It is thought that no significant progress has been made, indicating that San Francisco will clearly place a high importance on its 2023 receiving leader.

Though they have recently traded a first-round choice to the 49ers, the Steelers are not thought to be interested in sending any players for Aiyuk. Early in the 2019 season, Pittsburgh traded choices back to the Steelers in exchange for Minkah Fitzpatrick, who was selected by Miami in the 2020 first round. That was under general manager Kevin Colbert, who, in contrast to his successor Omar Khan, was a little more cautious about making trades. When Fitzpatrick was acquired, the latter was working in Pittsburgh’s front office.

An extension represents the key difference between the Fitzpatrick move and what an Aiyuk swap would require. The Steelers would need to not only part with high-end draft capital to obtain Aiyuk and would also need to work out a monster extension — almost definitely one that would make the fifth-year player a top-five receiver in terms of AAV and guarantees — as part of the deal or soon after. The 49ers’ known offer(s) have come in around the $26-$27MM-per-year mark, prompting this hold-in. It is unclear what San Francisco has proposed in terms of guaranteed money, though Aiyuk is believed to be angling for an A.J. Brown-level commitment. The Eagles gave Brown $84MM guaranteed in April; only Justin Jefferson ($110MM) has topped that.

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