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Browns Tried to Spoil Steelers Trade Plans

The Pittsburgh Steelers had their AFC North rival trying their hardest to make a move.

Noah Strackbein

Sep 10, 2023; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (11) gestures at the line of scrimmage against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the first quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 10, 2023; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (11) gestures at the line of scrimmage against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the first quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports / Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
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PITTSBURGH -- The Cleveland Browns were trying to spoil the Pittsburgh Steelers' plans, and nearly did with a big-time offer to Brandon Aiyuk. While Pittsburgh didn't end up with the San Francisco 49ers' wideout, who signed a four-year extension with the team, they'll take him staying over coming to a different AFC North team.

During the week, the Browns made a huge salary cap move, converting quarterback Deshaun Watson's contract into a signing bonus, creating over $35 million in salary cap space. The speculation was that Cleveland was looking to make an even bigger offer to Aiyuk, trying to lure him to them after he denied the trade earlier in the summer.

Well, that speculation appears to be accurate. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, who appeared on the Pat McAfee Show, the Browns offered Aiyuk more money than both the Steelers and 49ers.

"They already were offering money money than Pittsburgh, more money than San Francisco," Schefter said. "They were offering that. That wasn't the issue. The issue simply was that he preffered to go elsewhere."

The Browns were expected to be offering Amari Cooper in a trade with the 49ers, and had everything in place outside of Aiyuk's willingness to join them. If they did land him, he would've joined a star-studded offense and offered plenty of help to Watson, who looks to bounce back for the first time in Cleveland.

Instead, he stays in San Francisco. While the Steelers would've like to ended up with him this season, they'll take him signing a deal in the NFC over coming to the Browns, where they would've met him twice a season.

Both the Steelers and Browns could find themselves looking for other wide receiver options and may compete once again for a big-name wideout. For now, they'll move forward and put Aiyuk in the rearview mirror, but in the NFL, things are constantly moving.

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Noah Strackbein

NOAH STRACKBEIN

Noah is the Publisher for All Steelers, Inside the Panthers (InsideThePanthers.com) and Inside the Penguins (InsidethePenguins.com), and is the host of All Steelers Talk (YouTube.com/AllSteelersTalk). A Scranton native, Noah made his way to the Pittsburgh sports scene in 2017. Now, he's pretty much full-yinzer.

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