AFC Rival Likely Steelers' Biggest Competition For San Francisco 49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk

It has almost come to the point where Pittsburgh Steelers fans everywhere don't care where San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk plays in 2024; everyone just wants a definitive answer. Some news broke on Tuesday that the dynamic offensive play-maker has officially requested a trade after not reaching a long-term deal with the organization that drafted him. While a trade is not a certainty, it revived the hopes coming from wide receiver-needy teams like the Steelers. It will be interesting to see if the young pass-catcher will indeed be dealt and end up signing a massive deal elsewhere.

While it would be convenient for the Steelers to be the only team interested in Aiyuk, there are sure to be several players involved given the fact that a 26-year old entering his prime is an attractive trade option. There have been reports that Pittsburgh has interest, but other organizations have also been poking around to get a little more information about his availability.

The New England Patriots are at an extremely interesting time in the franchise's history. Bill Belichick won't be wearing a headset on the sidelines for the first time since the 1999 season. The Mac Jones experiment was a complete failure which led the front office to draft Drake Maye with the third overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Maye could certainly use some more weapons in the passing game, which could trigger the new regime to go after a talented pass-catcher like Aiyuk. The Patriots have at least one pick in each round of the 2025 NFL Draft, which means the decision-makers could be willing to give up significant capital in order to land Aiyuk and outbid a team like the Steelers.

Another challenge facing the Steelers when it comes to New England being a competitor in the Aiyuk sweepstakes is cap space. Pittsburgh is in tremendous shape looking ahead to 2025. Currently, the franchise is set to have third-most in the league as it stands today. Unfortunately, the Patriots are ahead and land at second, according to Over The Cap.

One of the Steelers' biggest rivals throughout the 21st century that doesn't reside in the AFC North has been the Patriots. The organizations look much different in 2024 than they did early on in the century, but losing out on Aiyuk only for him to land in the hands of a different six-time Super Bowl winning operation like the Patriots would be rather devastating.

Both teams have the money to make it work in 2025 and in the future. The question becomes which one will offer the most attractive package to the 49ers, if San Francisco is even interested in dealing him in the first place. Steelers General Manager Omar Khan has been tactical since taking over in May of 2022, so it will be fascinating to see how he handles a potential chess match.

Steelers May Have Tough Time Breaking Out On Offense Without Aiyuk

Pittsburgh has talent on the offensive side of the ball, but it appears as if the rushing attack will have to consistently be at the top of its game if the unit wants to have success week in and week out. Having another dynamic play-maker like Aiyuk could change the complexion of the group and, frankly, the 2024 season. Khan's decisions over the next couple of weeks could be the difference in competing for an AFC North title or not.

Do you think that the Steelers will lose out on the Aiyuk sweepstakes to the Patriots? Let us know in the comments below!

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