Right now, it looks like there are two places All-Pro wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk will play in 2024.
Aiyuk will likely either remain with the San Francisco 49ers or move on to the Pittsburgh Steelers, and with preseason time ticking away, it's hard to imagine any other teams being aggressive enough to be considered contenders to acquire the 26-year-old receiver.
Trade talks between the 49ers and Steelers initially stalled but have recently picked up steam again, and now reports are emerging that talks are once again at an impasse.
It's not all that surprising that trade talks between San Francisco and Pittsburgh aren't going smoothly. Neither side is particularly keen to get ripped off in this deal, and the 49ers' need to acquire an impact player would make sense to delay a trade given the impact players the Steelers have.
The 49ers want to be sure they get above market value for Aiyuk, while the Steelers want to acquire him for the lowest price possible.
But Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area is reporting that the negotiations are looking very different, as he reports that it's not the players that are delaying the deal, but the Steelers' unwillingness to give up their second- and third-round draft picks to the 49ers.
It would be a crazy development if Pittsburgh hesitated because San Francisco wanted a couple of Day 2 picks, but acquiring a player like Aiyuk seems like a bargain for a team in desperate need of WR reinforcements in August.
From the 49ers perspective, this trade should have been a step towards something bigger. They would have traded those two draft picks (and maybe others) to another team to acquire a star WR. They are trying to win a Super Bowl, and two 2025 draft picks aren't going to help them achieve that goal.
At this point, it's hard to imagine a trade happening unless the Steelers are willing to do so for two picks in next year's draft. If the Steelers aren't willing to do that, or are unwilling to part with quality players, there's no reason for the 49ers to continue negotiating.
