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The San Francisco 49ers may have a punishing duo of starting wide receivers heading into 2021 thanks to a couple of draft picks over the past two years that appear ready to pay off. The team selected
Deebo Samuel in the second round in 2019 and then
Brandon Aiyuk in the first round a year later. Both could be gearing up for breakout NFL campaigns.
Aiyuk hauled in 60 receptions for 748 yards and five receiving touchdowns as a rookie. He also carried the football six times for 77 yards and two more scores. His receiving yards total ranks third all-time in franchise history for a rookie while his receptions rank second all-time, and his receiving touchdowns tie for second among first-year players.
Only Deebo Samuel and Jerry Rice had more receiving yards as 49ers rookies, while Earl Cooper and Dave Parks were the lone players to top Aiyuk's receptions and receiving touchdowns, respectively, in their first year.
According to reports out of Santa Clara, it sounds like Aiyuk had a good first day of training camp. He showed off his readiness during team drills with a 35-yard reception from Jimmy Garoppolo up the left sideline, per
team reporter Keiana Martin.
That's good news for the 49ers, who hope to put last season's injury-marred season behind them and focus on returning to the Super Bowl.
"He's just one of those guys, his body language, it allows me to anticipate throws," Garoppolo said Wednesday while discussing the throw to Aiyuk. "So we had a couple of them today. The breakdown in the play that you're talking about ... usually as a quarterback, you've got to point them where you want him. And he just broke literally when I broke, when we escaped the pocket together."
Aiyuk had a setback during organized team activities with some groin tightness. The young receiver used the 40 days away from the team to get healthy and ready to compete in training camp.
"Had a little bit of setback and just talking to him and seeing him out there, he's done everything he can to improve off that," head coach Kyle Shanahan said. "I feel he's in a better spot, but time will tell."
Samuel sounds excited about the potential of the 49ers' receiving core featuring Aiyuk,
George Kittle, and himself — three players who specialize in racking up yards after that catch. It has earned them the nickname of "The YAC Bros."
While Aiyuk appears to be off to a good start, Samuel knows there is always room for improvement.
"One thing that we always pick on BA about is coming off the ball because he has everything else — the routes, the hands," Samuel told reporters on Wednesday. "So, if he can come off the ball like he's supposed to every play, he's kind of an unguardable guy."
On Wednesday, Chat Sports contributor Chase Senior reported that the Pittsburgh Steelers were "aggressively pursuing" San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk. He further stated that the Steelers are confident they can finalize a deal for the star player.
REPORTS: The Pittsburgh Steelers are aggressively pursuing a Brandon Aiyuk trade and the Steelers would be "surprised" if they don't land Aiyuk. Of note: Pittsburgh has the 20th overall pick. The Niners could look at that as equal value for Aiyuk if they can't get a deal done.…
Ian Rapoport didn't offer much of an update on the ongoing contract negotiations between the San Francisco 49ers and their standout wide receiver, Brandon Aiyuk. However, the NFL insider emphasized one thing: The team is not entertaining trade discussions at this juncture.
Reacting to Aiyuk's decision to unfollow the 49ers on Instagram, Rapoport couldn't help but chuckle at the latest development. This practice has become commonplace among players who are unhappy with their contract situations. Wide receiver Deebo Samuel similarly took this action in 2022 before requesting to be traded just before the draft.
Things have yet to escalate that far with Aiyuk, but Rapoport sees his
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
A questionable rumor surfaced on Wednesday regarding the Pittsburgh Steelers' interest in San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk. Sports Illustrated contributor Noah Strackbein reported that the AFC team was seemingly confident they could pull off a trade for Aiyuk.
However, the credibility of this report comes into question due to the assertion that the Steelers believe they could acquire Aiyuk at a bargain price, possibly in exchange for a second-round draft pick and a late-round selection.
RELATED: Steelers believe they can acquire Aiyuk at a
