Around 24 hours since a report indicating the 49ers and Steelers had agreed on Brandon Aiyuk trade compensation emerged, the fifth-year wide receiver remains with San Francisco. Aiyuk continues his hold-in.
The Steelers continue to wait on this situation, with ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler indicating the AFC North team remains motivated to acquire the dissatisfied wide receiver. But trade talks may have slowed down. Although the teams are believed to have trade parameters in place, Fowler adds talks were quiet in recent days. This note comes days after a report that mentioned 49ers extension talks had intensified following another Aiyuk meeting with team brass.
On this note, Aiyuk watched 49ers practice with teammates Wednesday and greeted GM John Lynch at one point, per the San Jose Mercury News’ Cam Inman. This has been the receiver’s usual routine, but it is notable the club continues to have a high-profile player who could be on the verge of becoming the centerpiece of a blockbuster trade still on the sidelines at practice.
Aiyuk has also continued to attend 49ers meetings during this saga, according to NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco. This separates the Aiyuk matter from Trent Williams‘ holdout and how the team proceeded with trade-block occupant Jimmy Garoppolo in 2022. Garoppolo threw on the side and did not attend meetings before agreeing to a late-summer resolution to stay in San Francisco.
“I trust Brandon knows what he’s got to do for this year to get ready to play,” Kyle Shanahan said, via the San Francisco Chronicle’s Eric Branch. “I have a feeling he’s finding a way to stay in shape and do those things. But there’s a football-shape element that I know he is eager to get back to — and us, too. So, hopefully, we can get to that soon. But Brandon knows what he’s got to do to be in shape for the season, and I feel confident he is doing that.”
The 49ers are believed to have upped their offer recently, and Tuesday’s update revealed San Francisco remains his preferred destination. After a report pegged both Aiyuk and the 49ers as underwhelmed by the Steelers’ offers — on the extension and trade fronts — the teams are at least in agreement. The ball is largely in Aiyuk’s court, though the 49ers do not necessarily have to move him. They are still clearly interested in seeing if common ground on numbers can be reached.
It would, then, seem odd if a team that narrowly missed out on a Super Bowl championship would go this far down a trade route — particularly at this point on the calendar, when a replacement will be difficult to obtain — but here we are. The Steelers appear to still believe, unlike the Browns and Patriots after offers did not produce deals, they can acquire the 26-year-old pass catcher — even if such a move would significantly affect the 2024 49ers’ title hopes.
Pittsburgh is believed to have submitted a trade offer including no players. Considering where they reside in the championship picture, the 49ers understandably sought veterans — a wideout, in particular — as part of an Aiyuk trade package. The Steelers, who do not have a comparable wideout they are willing to trade, are believed to have offered a deal in the $28MM-per-year neighborhood. If the 49ers have raised their offer, they may be in the same place. A $26-$27MM-AAV San Francisco price range surfaced earlier this summer.
This situation is not exactly oozing trade vibes at present. Still, the Steelers — who have certainly not been known to be on the receiving end of high-profile wideout trades — remain prepared to accommodate a big-ticket Aiyuk payment and pair him with George Pickens. This would seem incongruous to the 49ers’ immediate needs, but a trade remains a possibility. The wait continues.
