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Comparisons are fun. Entering last year's draft, NFL.com analyst
Lance Zierlein compared wide receiver
Brandon Aiyuk to Robert Woods of the Los Angeles Rams. Aiyuk ended up becoming a first-round selection of the San Francisco 49ers and had an impressive rookie campaign.
Cornerback
Jason Verrett offered up another comparison while speaking to the media on Thursday, saying Aiyuk displays traits that remind him of a future Hall of Famer.
"We kind of can see similarities with BA, as far as the skillset, of Julio (Jones)," Verrett shared. "You can kind of see some similarities."
That is high praise for the second-year receiver. Verrett feels Aiyuk is benefiting from the presence of another former Atlanta Falcons wide receiver — Mohamed Sanu. The veteran is preparing to enter his 10th NFL season and second stint with the Niners.
"Having a vet like Mohamed, who's been around the league, and also a guy who's looking damn good too, being out there on the field," Verrett said. "I mean, Sanu looks great. So, having that, I think, helps BA, helps Deebo (Samuel) with their approach in going into practice. I think if all of them are on the same page, the offense can be dominant."
The 49ers are hoping their duo of young wideouts — Aiyuk and Samuel — have breakout seasons. Samuel previewed what he was capable of during his own impressive rookie campaign in 2019. Only NFL legend Jerry Rice had more receiving yards as a rookie in franchise history. Aiyuk followed that up with a 60-reception, 748-yard season last year.
Samuel feels that his teammate is nearly a complete offensive weapon. But, of course, 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 earlier this week. "So, if he can come off the ball like he's supposed to every play, he's kind of an unguardable guy."
Aiyuk's potential also has Verrett very excited about the 23-year-old receiver's future.
"BA has always been a special player," Verrett said. "We even noticed that last year. But going into year two, being able to have a year under his belt, kind of knows what it takes, yeah, BA, like I said, he's a special player. He's a guy that, I think, is going to make a lot of special plays for us."
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
It's evident that the San Francisco 49ers engaged in long-term financial planning. Much discussion has centered around the feasibility of the team committing significant financial resources to two wide receivers, Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel. Some skeptics question the wisdom of such heavy investment in a single position, especially considering that the 49ers handed Samuel a substantial three-year extension merely two years ago.
Adding complexity to this debate is the impending contract extension for quarterback Brock Purdy, positioning him to become the highest-paid player on the team. He will likely even become one of the NFL's highest-paid players. Where he ranks in average salary will depend upon whether he can replicate the stellar performance of his Pro Bowl 2023
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
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
