While it takes two the tango, the Pittsburgh Steelers are willing dance partners if the San Francisco 49ers decide to trade Brandon Aiyuk. The Steelers have pursued acquiring Aiyuk from the 49ers, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, as Pittsburgh is determined to pair George Pickens with a talented veteran wideout.
The big question is whether or not the 49ers are open to trading Aiyuk, who has apparently grown tired of his current contract situation. Niners GM John Lynch recently said that the team was "actively talking" with Aiyuk about a contract extension, but it doesn't appear that much progress has been made with the start of the NFL Draft just over a week away.
That lack of progress could lead to the 49ers ultimately deciding to trade Aiyuk, and if they do, there's a decent chance that the Steelers will be the team that he is dealt to. Steelers coach Mike Tomlin has a good relationship with Lynch stemming from their days together in Tampa Bay. Pittsburgh also has the cap space and draft capital to make a deal happen.
I recently prospected a possible trade scenario between the two sides that would send Aiyuk to Pittsburgh in addition to the 49ers' first two draft picks. In return, the 49ers would receive the Steelers' first three draft picks. This would be a win for both sides. The Steelers would get Aiyuk and would still have one pick in each of the first three rounds. The 49ers would move up in the first two rounds and would also get an additional third-round pick.
Acquiring Aiyuk would help the Steelers round out a receiving corps that will also likely include a receiver that Pittsburgh will acquire during the draft. The unit is currently spearheaded by Pickens, who last season led the NFL with an 18.1 yards-per-catch average.
Aiyuk appears to be Pittsburgh's target, but there are other options, including two of Russell Wilson's former teammates in Seattle's Tyler Lockett and Denver's Courtland Sutton. Both players are savvy wideouts who could be had for less than what the Steelers would have to give up to acquire Aiyuk. But like the 49ers and Aiyuk, the Seahawks and Broncos would have to be willing to part with those players in order for any deal to happen.
While the player is still unknown, it's become crystal clear that the Steelers will acquire a veteran wideout sometime soon. It'll be interesting to see how things play out over the next week.
