Brandon Aiyuk recently hinted that he might consider playing for the Pittsburgh Steelers if the San Francisco 49ers are unwilling to offer him a contract extension at market value and opt to trade him to the AFC team. Of course, that could be a negotiating tactic from Aiyuk’s camp as the 49ers work to sign the receiver to a contract extension.
That doesn’t mean San Francisco isn’t willing to talk to interested teams. The team reportedly sought the No. 17 overall pick and a player from the Jacksonville Jaguars in exchange for Aiyuk, but no deal materialized.
49ers insider Matt Barrows of The Athletic suggests Aiyuk could be available for the right offer before or during the draft.
“The 49ers kept their phone lines open before, and especially during, the draft to see what kind of offers [WR Deebo] Samuel would bring [in 2022],” Barrows wrote. “They got draft-day proposals from the New York Jets and Detroit Lions, but the 49ers didn’t budge. They were solid offers (especially the Jets’) but the 49ers needed to be blown away to let go of Samuel, who was coming off his incredible 2021 campaign.
“I think a similar scenario is in play for Aiyuk, who has excellent chemistry with Brock Purdy: The 49ers will listen to offers but it will take something monumental to let him go.”
Former NFL star wide receiver DeSean Jackson believes that the 49ers should consider trading Aiyuk if they can’t reach an agreement on a contract extension soon.
“I think it’s going to be hard for him to stay in San Francisco, obviously, with him going on his fifth year,” Jackson recently told Kay Adams on the “Up & Adams” show. “I don’t think they’ll be able to get a deal [done]. … Yeah, let that man be free and go get another deal somewhere else because, in your fifth year, you’re really supposed to get that extension.
“I don’t think he wants to go play a whole other season and wait to go get another bag or go secure his bag. So, in this perspective, I definitely see him trying to reach to get up out of there.”
Aiyuk is coming off a career year. He achieved his second consecutive 1,000-yard season with a team-leading 1,342 receiving yards in 2023.
Regarding the speculation linking Aiyuk to Pittsburgh, a move Steelers fans would welcome with open arms, Jackson stated, “If it is a fit, I mean, hey, Russell Wilson, Justin Fields, Aiyuk over there. They just lost Diontae Johnson. They traded Diontae Johnson to Carolina, so they need another receiver. I definitely like that.”
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2024-03-23 21:38:38
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