Yes, it’s very possible that the Pittsburgh Steelers could find themselves revisiting last offseason’s wide receiver drama—this time with Brandon Aiyuk again at the center of trade speculation.
According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, the San Francisco 49ers are still looking to offload Aiyuk’s hefty contract, and Pittsburgh remains a logical trade partner given their need for a top-tier receiver to pair with DK Metcalf. The Steelers pursued Aiyuk aggressively last year but came up short when he chose to stay with San Francisco on a contract worth more than $30 million per year.
However, the situation has changed dramatically. Aiyuk’s 2024 campaign ended prematurely due to a torn ACL, and his prior hold-in left a sour taste in the mouths of many in the 49ers organization. Now, with tensions lingering and the financial burden growing, San Francisco may be even more motivated to move on from him.
From Pittsburgh’s side, while they’ve already invested heavily in Metcalf, they clearly still need help at wideout. Despite his injury and declining leverage, Aiyuk remains a high-upside option when healthy, having previously earned Pro Bowl recognition and proven himself as a dynamic playmaker.
The challenge? His $30M+ salary would make him one of the most expensive wide receivers in the NFL, and the Steelers would need to balance that alongside Metcalf’s $33M annual figure. That’s a lot of money tied up in two receivers—especially for a team still working out its long-term quarterback situation.
Still, if Pittsburgh believes Aiyuk is the missing piece to unlock their offense, don’t be surprised if talks heat up again.
Would you like a breakdown of how Aiyuk would fit schematically into the Steelers offense?
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