Steelers Insider: "There Are Legs To This" As Interest In Brandon Aiyuk Remains

The Pittsburgh Steelers biggest position of need going into the 2024 season is clearly wide receiver. Every player behind George Pickens has either struggled to find his footing in the NFL, or has a pattern of inconsistent play. If General Manager Omar Khan can find a way to bring in an established play-maker, the Steelers' roster should have what it takes to make a meaningful playoff run. 

Outside of Pickens and Diontae Johnson, Pittsburgh really struggled to find contributors at the receiver position during the 2023 season. Allen Robinson II was a non-factor, and Calvin Austin III struggled to adjust to the professional level. A need at receiver already existed, but trading Diontae Johnson made Pittsburgh desperate for proven receiver. The organization has been connected to Brandon Aiyuk all offseason, and insider Ray Fittipaldo spoke about the validity of any trade rumors on 93.7 The Fan. 

"There are legs to this. I had a source within the team tell me this back in March, that this was a thing and that there was some interest in Brandon Aiyuk."

Aiyuk has been a hot topic throughout the 2024 offseason. He has been connected to a few teams through trade rumors as he battles out a contract dispute with the San Francisco 49ers. The receiver market exploded in 2024, as stars around the league signed record-breaking deals. Aiyuk now wants to be paid like the All-Pro that he is. Fittipaldo spoke again about a possible deal between the two organizations, this time confirming interest from San Francisco.

"I think it’s more than a talk show type of thing. I was told there was some real interest on both sides four months ago. It hasn’t happened yet, but that doesn’t mean it won’t happen before the start of the season.”

The 49ers General Manager John Lynch has been consistent in saying that the team wants Aiyuk to stay in San Francisco, and the two sides want to get a deal done. It doesn't seem like much progress has been made, as Aiyuk has become more and more frustrated with San Francisco. 

Lynch has said all the right things when publicly addressing the contract situation with Aiyuk. However, every move the organization has made during the 2024 offseason has contradicted what he has said. The 49ers drafted a wide receiver in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft and also extended Jauan Jennings before Aiyuk. Both of these moves are made with the mindset that either Aiyuk or Deebo Samuel will not be playing in San Francisco in 2024.

The 49ers have a luxury at the receiver position, and really with every skill position on the offensive side of the ball. You can only have so many players on the field. After drafting Ricky Pearsall and extending Jennings, it makes perfect sense as to why San Francisco might be interested in sending Aiyuk elsewhere.

Steelers Need To Wait To Acquire Aiyuk

Khan is one of the best general managers in the league despite his minimal amount of experience. He knows the longer the 49ers hold on to Aiyuk, the situation will get worse and San Francisco will lose leverage in a potential deal. It's similar to when the Steelers were interested in trading for Justin Fields, but didn't want to give up a high pick for him. Khan waited, and the price for Fields dropped after his market was basically nonexistent. 

The situation for Aiyuk is different, as he will still be traded away for a good amount of assets. The price will still drop regardless, and the 49ers will eventually grow tired of the negotiations and just want to send Aiyuk somewhere other than San Francisco. They have the tools at receiver to do that. They are a Super Bowl contender that doesn't need a distraction like that bleeding into the season.

What do you think of Fittipaldo's comments? Let us know in the comments below!

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