Steelers Land Projected $196 Million Star QB in Proposed Blockbuster Deal
Gary Davenport of Bleacher Report suggested that the Pittsburgh Steelers trade pass catchers Pat Freiermuth and George Pickens for Brandon Aiyuk.
The wide receiver spot that the Pittsburgh Steelers lost when they traded Diontae Johnson for Donte Jackson has not yet been filled. However, Pittsburgh was listed as one of six clubs by Gary Davenport of Bleacher Report that ought to give the San Francisco 49ers an alluring trade offer in exchange for wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk.
Davenport suggested that in exchange for the 2023 second-team All-Pro wideout, the 49ers receive the Steelers’ first and third round picks in 2024.
When selection No. 20 comes around, Davenport stated, “Aiyuk is a better and more proven option than anyone else.” He and George Pickens together would be a very strong team in that role.
Offering that 20th overall selection would be the 49ers’ finest offer to date, at least in this hypothetical exercise. If you include a late third (in exchange for a Day 3 selection), this is an offer Niners general manager John Lynch would need to seriously consider.
The Steelers do not have a wide receiver signed to their 2024 roster who had more than 209 receiving yards in the previous season, except from George Pickens. But Aiyuk would take care of that problem and more.
In 2023, Aiyuk set career records with 1,342 receiving yards and 17.9 yards per reception. In addition, he has 7 touchdowns and 75 receptions.
But, acquiring Aiyuk would be expensive in terms of draft capital as well. Spotrac estimated Aiyuk’s value at $96.1 million for a four-year deal. The 26-year-old receiver would make an average yearly salary of more than $24 million under such a contract.
Reasons to Consider WR Brandon Aiyuk for the Steelers
The Steelers ought to be interested in Aiyuk for rather obvious reasons.
After dealing for Johnson, the Steelers acquired Van Jefferson and Quez Watkins; but, in 2023, the two wide receivers combined for just 351 receiving yards.
On April 2, Brad Spielberger of Pro Football Focus stated that the Steelers need a No. 3 wideout in addition to not having a starting receiver to complement Pickens despite having Jefferson and Watkins.
But the Steelers would have one of the best wide receivers available this offseason in Aiyuk. Davenport pointed out that Pickens and Aiyuk would be a formidable team.
Pickens led the NFL in 2023 with 18.1 yards per grab, while Aiyuk averaged 17.9 yards per reception.
The Downsides of Trading for Aiyuk Aiyuk would make the Steelers’ receiver room—which was among the worst in the NFL—possibly among the finest. But the price would be high.
In addition to needing a starting receiver, the Steelers don’t have a center currently on the roster. The team could also use upgrades at offensive tackle and cornerback.
If the Steelers trade their first and third-round picks for Aiyuk, then it will be significantly harder for them to draft impact players at their other needs. General manager Omar Khan would also very likely be giving up on selecting Oregon’s Jackson Powers-Johnson or Duke’s Graham Barton. Pundits widely consider those two prospects the best centers available in the 2024 class.
Khan could turn his attention to West Virginia center Zach Frazier. But Frazier may not still be on the draft board either when the Steelers select in the second round at No. 51 overall.
The lack of immediate other starting center options in the draft and the thin center market left in free agency makes it a little hard to envision the Steelers trading two top picks for Aiyuk.