Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk is going into the last year of his rookie contract, and he has asked the San Francisco 49ers to give him a lucrative contract extension.
Such talks have been slow, which has led to speculation that the 49ers may instead trade him.
One team that has been rumored to be interested in Aiyuk is the Pittsburgh Steelers, and Andrew Fillipponi tweeted that there has been some “movement” regarding Aiyuk possibly going to Pittsburgh, although he doesn’t think it’s a done deal.
There’s some movement on the Steelers-49ers trade front. I don’t think it’s a done deal. But there’s give and take.
— Andrew Fillipponi (@ThePoniExpress) April 29, 2024
In four seasons in the NFL, all of which have come with the 49ers, Aiyuk has gradually improved his production, and in 2023, he became a bona fide star.
He had a team-high 75 catches, which enabled him to put up 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns last season, and while he wasn’t named to the Pro Bowl, an argument could be made he’s one of the league’s top-10 wide receivers.
Earlier this month, a report indicated that Aiyuk had asked the Niners to trade him, although his agent denied that any trade request was made.
The Niners seem reluctant to trade Aiyuk, and understandably so — in fact, it was reported on Friday that they’re more likely to trade Deebo Samuel, their second-most productive wideout.
Needless to say, if they were to trade Aiyuk, their chances of finally winning the Super Bowl championship any time soon would take a major hit.
They selected Ricky Pearsall, a wide receiver from the University of Florida, with the No. 31 pick, and some saw that pick as an insurance policy in case Aiyuk does get dealt at some point.
