A sketchy rumor surfaced on Monday afternoon that the San Francisco 49ers agreed to trade wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Although the report didn't gain much traction, it did spark some discussion on social media.
NFL insider Jordan Schultz refuted the report, stating that no trade is in place between the 49ers and Steelers.
"I'm told the 49ers have had discussions in recent days regarding a potential Aiyuk trade with several teams, but as of this post -- nothing is finalized," Schultz wrote.
Sources: There is currently no trade in place for All-Pro WR Brandon Aiyuk to the #Steelers.
I'm told the #49ers have had discussions in recent days regarding a potential Aiyuk trade with several teams, but as of this post -- nothing is finalized. pic.twitter.com/1yVcANp1LR
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) August 5, 2024
The Steelers have been linked to Aiyuk since before the draft. More recently, a report claimed that the Cleveland Browns and New England Patriots were frontrunners for Aiyuk. However, nothing substantial has come from these rumors beyond speculation about potential compensation packages for the star receiver.
Aiyuk requested a trade before training camp but reported with his teammates to avoid further fines after missing the 49ers' mandatory minicamp in June. However, he has not participated in training camp practices as he awaits a resolution to the contract standoff.
The 49ers receiver is coming off his best season, recording 1,342 receiving yards and seven touchdowns through 16 games. He has surpassed 1,000 receiving yards in each of the last two seasons and amassed 3,931 receiving yards in his four NFL seasons.
Aiyuk is slated to earn $14.124 million in 2024 on a team-exercised fifth-year option, well below the market value for top NFL receivers.