The San Francisco 49ers and Pittsburgh Steelers are reportedly not close to a Brandon Aiyuk trade deal, despite earlier rumors of heavy discussions. According to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the two teams are not at the stage of “hammering out final details” on a potential trade, and the Steelers would not be including a wide receiver in the deal.
Furthermore, Jim Wexell of Steel City Insider reports that the 49ers are asking the Steelers for two first-round picks in exchange for Aiyuk, which seems like an exorbitant asking price. As Wexell puts it, “Two first-round picks is too much for Aiyuk.“
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Aiyuk, who is entering the fifth and final year of his rookie contract, had requested a trade from the 49ers last month after months of unsuccessful contract extension talks. The 26-year-old wide receiver is coming off a career year, catching 75 passes for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns, helping the 49ers reach Super Bowl 58. For his career, Aiyuk has 269 receptions for 3,931 yards and 25 touchdowns.
Steelers not ready to meet 49ers’ high asking price
While Aiyuk is undoubtedly a talented player, the 49ers’ asking price of two first-round picks seems excessive. It’s understandable that the team wants to get maximum value for a player of Aiyuk’s caliber, but that kind of trade package is typically reserved for true superstars or franchise-altering talents.
The Steelers, on the other hand, appear to be unwilling to part with such a significant haul of draft capital for Aiyuk. They likely have other priorities and needs to address in the upcoming draft, and may not be willing to mortgage their future for a single player, no matter how talented.
It’s worth noting that the New England Patriots had previously bowed out of the Aiyuk sweepstakes due to the 49ers’ high asking price and Aiyuk’s unwillingness to play for them. This further underscores the challenges the 49ers may face in finding a suitable trade partner for the disgruntled wide receiver.
As the offseason continues to unfold, it will be interesting to see if the 49ers and Steelers can find common ground on a potential Aiyuk trade or if the wide receiver’s future remains uncertain.
