Report: 49ers Dissatisfied With Steelers' Trade Offers for Aiyuk

Brandon Aiyuk seems satisfied with being traded to the Steelers, but the 49ers reportedly aren't with the offers they've been given.

Sep 10, 2023; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (11) makes a catch against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the second half at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports / Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

Only one team has a real shot at acquiring Brandon Aiyuk in a trade from the San Francisco 49ers.

That team is the Pittsburgh Steelers. It seems that Aiyuk is only willing to go there from the reported teams that have had interest in trading for him. He already said no to the New England Patriots and I presume the Cleveland Browns aren't to his liking either,

It's really the Steelers or bust for him when it comes to a trade. However, the Steelers aren't giving the 49ers any trade offers that are satisfactory, according to Diana Russini of The Athletic. The 49ers reportedly would like a receiver in return for Aiyuk, but are also open to players at other positions.

Trading away Aiyuk only makes sense if the 49ers can get a decent receiver to plug and play in their offense. George Pickens is obviously someone the 49ers would like, but it makes absolutely no sense for the Steelers to swap receivers. They clearly want Aiyuk to pair with Pickens to upgrade their offense and make it easier for their quarterbacks.

There is no way that Pickens is on the table, so the 49ers will have to settle for another. The issue is that the Steelers don't have any other receiver worth mentioning. It's why they are looking to acquire Aiyuk in the first place. Their receiver group is bottom-feeding outside of Pickens.

If the 49ers want a player back, then they have to look elsewhere on the Steelers' roster. They'll be satisfied with any offer given to them otherwise. Even then, losing Aiyuk weakens the offense, which begs the question: why trade Aiyuk at all?

The Steelers have no player who can impact them anywhere near close to what Aiyuk does, and it is pointless to focus on draft capital. Nothing the Steelers have can help the 49ers closer to winning a Super Bowl in 2024. Retaining Aiyuk remains their best course of action here.