The Pittsburgh Steelers have long been rumored to be interested in San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, and a deal could be developing. Or could it be for Deebo Samuel?
According to Andrew Fillipponi of 93.7 The Fan, there has been “some movement” in trade talks between the Steelers and 49ers. He adds that while it isn’t a done deal, there is “give and take.”
The thing is, Fillipponi didn’t specify whether it was Aiyuk or Samuel, and you have to assume it was one of the two.
Aiyuk is preparing to enter the final year of his deal, and given San Francisco’s financial constraints, the club may not be able to afford him long term.
The 26-year-old has also made it clear that he is not willing to take a hometown discount, further complicating the matter for the Niners.
This has created plenty of speculation that the 49ers could trade Aiyuk before the season in order to recoup some value for him now before he walks via free agency next March.
Of course, it isn’t that easy for San Francisco.
The Niners are trying to win a Super Bowl, and that would obviously be a much more doable task with Aiyuk on the roster.
At the same time, it’s a delicate balancing act for the franchise. If they go into the season with Aiyuk and come up short on a championship, they will then potentially lose him for nothing next year.
A solution for the 49ers would be trading Samuel instead, who is under contract through 2025. This would open up some money for the club to re-sign Aiyuk for the long haul, and there were rumors before the draft that San Francisco was receiving calls on Samuel.
The Niners have a loaded roster, but due to the salary cap, it is very difficult to keep everyone together for an extended period of time.
Meanwhile, the Steelers are in serious need of wide receiver help behind George Pickens, so they make obvious sense as a possible landing spot for Aiyuk or Samuel.
We’ll see if something happens in the coming weeks.
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