To trade for him, you’ll need a first-round pick, and the Steelers obviously don’t want to give up theirs.
The Steelers are the clear favorite to acquire Brandon Aiyuk in a trade with the 49ers this offseason, but that shouldn’t be the case.
It makes sense why they are the most favored. Since Aiyuk tweeted to their head coach, Mike Tomlin, a month ago, it appears that he is also interested in them. They need a wide receiver to replace Diontae Johnson. However, I have serious doubts that the Steelers will sign Aiyuk, and I’ll explain why.
To trade for him, you’ll need a first-round pick, and the Steelers obviously don’t want to give up theirs. The 49ers won’t deal him for a second-round choice because it would be embarrassing for them to do so. That heat is not what they desire. The Steelers would therefore need to increase their offer, something they are unlikely to do given their lack of urgency. General managers and head coaches are not fired. 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.
