Steelers Get Latest Update on Brandon Aiyuk
PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers are simply watching the roller coaster ride of Brandon Aiyuk and the San Francisco 49ers, where everyday, there seems to be a new turn. Following the latest reports that the two sides had a "good meeting," expectations of a trade are low - and one NFL insider made them lower.
Speaking on Rothman and Ice, ESPN's Adam Schefter tossed cold water on the idea that Aiyuk is going to end up elsewhere before the start of the 2024 NFL season. Instead, whether a contract extension gets done or not, he expects the second-team All-Pro receiver to be with the 49ers.
"I would expect that he's in a niner's uniform," Schefter said. "The question is, is it going to be beyond this year? He under contract to them, and why would a Super Bowl contending team trade a starting wide receiver for a future draft pick? Not gonna do that. That doesn't do anything to help you win a Super Bowl this year. I don't expect they're trading him. That's not what I'm expecting right now. Whether they can get a contract worked out or not, that's a different issue. They've been talking, doesn't seem like they're close right now, those things can heat up pretty quickly."
Not to double down on the cold water, but Schefter's expectation that Aiyuk isn't going to be moved doesn't necessarily add up to everything that has happened. While some have remained consistent that a move will not go down, one report claimed the Steelers and 49ers had something locked in during the NFL Draft, nearly finalizing a move for the wideout.
Aiyuk is entering the final year of his deal and could be a candidate to hold out if an extension isn't signed. If that's the case, San Francisco may be left with no other logical option than to move on via a trade.
The Steelers and Washington Commanders appear to be the front-runners for a move, which could go down later in the offseason. That being said, it would be against everything Schefter believes is going to happen with the situation.