First, it will take a first-round pick to trade for him, and the Steelers clearly don’t want to part with theirs.
If the 49ers trade Brandon Aiyuk this offseason, the Steelers are the odds-on favorite to land him, but they shouldn’t be.
You can understand why they are the favorite. They need a wide receiver to replace Diontae Johnson, they reportedly have interest in Aiyuk and he seems to have interest in them too, considering he tweeted at their head coach, Mike Tomlin, a month ago. But I highly doubt the Steelers will end up with Aiyuk, and here’s why.
First, it will take a first-round pick to trade for him, and the Steelers clearly don’t want to part with theirs. It would be embarrassing for the 49ers to trade him for a second-round pick, so they won’t. They don’t want that heat. So the Steelers would have to up their offer, which they’re unlikely to do because they’re not desperate. They don’t dismiss general managers or head coaches. Nobody’s job is in jeopardy. They have the financial wherewithal to be patient and purchase a wide receiver for a fair price.
Furthermore, Justin Fields and Russell Wilson are their quarterbacks. It implies that their passing attack isn’t very effective. Like the 49ers, they are designed to run the ball. Thus, they would fall well short of fully utilizing Aiyuk’s skill set. Why then do we give him nearly $30 million a season?
Expect the 49ers to move Aiyuk to a team whose general manager or head coach is under pressure to win the next season if they do so during the draft.
