Add the Cleveland Browns to the list of teams Brandon Aiyuk has no interest in joining. The San Francisco 49ers wide receiver had already turned down a trade to the New England Patriots, who were prepared to make him one of the highest-paid receivers in the league and had a deal framework in place with the 49ers. Now, according to Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area, Aiyuk has also rejected a trade that would have sent him to the Cleveland Browns.
"[T]he Browns were not one of Aiyuk's preferred destinations, so the trade was not completed," Maiocco wrote.
While Aiyuk's contract doesn't have a no-trade clause, he effectively holds veto power by refusing to sign a new contract with any team the 49ers might reach a deal with. This gives Aiyuk some leverage in his current situation.
The 49ers had also agreed on a deal framework with the Browns. However, the contract they offered either didn't meet Aiyuk's expectations, or he didn't want to play in Cleveland.
What were the Browns offering in return for Aiyuk? Maiocco reports that Cleveland was prepared to send veteran wide receiver Amari Cooper, along with second and fifth-round draft picks, to San Francisco.
The Pittsburgh Steelers remain interested in Aiyuk, and Aiyuk has shown interest in joining the AFC team if a new contract with the 49ers isn't reached. While Aiyuk might be open to signing a deal with the Steelers, the team reportedly lacks the trade assets necessary to entice San Francisco into finalizing an agreement.
Aiyuk is set to earn $14.124 million in 2024 on a team-exercised fifth-year option but aims to become one of the league's highest-paid receivers, potentially securing a contract worth around $30 million annually. While the 49ers had previously refused to move beyond their latest offer, believed to be in the range of $26 million per year, they resumed negotiations with Aiyuk this week, possibly in response to the receiver rejecting the potential deal with the Browns.
Of course, much of this remains speculative. Only Aiyuk, the 49ers, and the teams involved know the full details. For fans, this means continuing to wait for a resolution to a saga that has dragged on throughout the offseason with no clear end in sight.