Brandon Aiyuk would have accepted a trade to the Pittsburgh Steelers after derailing potential deals with the Cleveland Browns and New England Patriots. Seeking a first-round pick or an immediately impactful receiver, the San Francisco 49ers were dissatisfied with the Steelers' offer, particularly because the AFC team was unwilling to include a player in the trade.
The Browns, for example, were reportedly prepared to offer Amari Cooper, an impact player who met the 49ers' criteria, along with draft compensation. However, Aiyuk was not interested in playing for Cleveland and made it clear he would refuse to sign an extension with the team if traded there.
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The Steelers' offer to the 49ers fell short of San Francisco's expectations. This likely explains the team's hesitation in finalizing the deal. Despite this, Aiyuk might have ended up with the Steelers, a team he was open to joining, if not for the fact that the Denver Broncos disrupted the trade.
According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, the Steelers offered a third-round draft pick in exchange for Aiyuk. Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated adds that the offer included both a second and third-round pick.
This scenario, as I understand it, would've had the 49ers landing 2nd- and 3rd-round picks from Pittsburgh for Brandon Aiyuk, flipping the 3 to Denver. The Steelers didn't want to part with a player for Aiyuk.
All's well that ends well—Keeping Aiyuk was always SF's preference. https://t.co/LhkauKmUAP
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) August 30, 2024
The compensation offered was not enticing enough for San Francisco to part with its leading receiver from last season. However, the 49ers had a strategy to acquire a player as part of the trade. They intended to use the third-round pick to pursue wide receiver Courtland Sutton from the Broncos, thereby gaining a player while retaining the valuable second-round pick.
The Broncos declined, ultimately ending any potential deal between the 49ers and Steelers.
In hindsight, it may have worked out for the best. Aiyuk is a younger, more productive receiver than Sutton and has shown a higher ceiling. The 49ers likely kept the Steelers' offer as a backup plan in case negotiations with Aiyuk deteriorated beyond repair.
Sutton has surpassed 1,000 receiving yards in only one of his six NFL seasons—in 2019. In contrast, Aiyuk has achieved this milestone in each of the past two seasons, including a career-high 1,342 receiving yards in 2023, while developing strong chemistry with quarterback Brock Purdy.
In the end, the 49ers managed to retain Aiyuk, signing him to a four-year, $120 million deal, and are now preparing for another Super Bowl run. The next challenge for them will be addressing the Trent Williams situation.