9:18pm: The Patriots have removed themselves from the Aiyuk sweepstakes. According to Schefter, New England has “decided not to explore any further trade possibilities” with the 49ers. The reporter adds that the Patriots are “excited” about their young wideouts and want to “focus on them.” That grouping includes 2023 sixth-round picks DeMario Douglas and Kayshon Boutte, plus 2024 draft picks Ja’Lynn Polk (second round) and Javon Baker (fourth round).
While the Patriots may be touting their youth, it may not have been the team’s decision to pivot from an Aiyuk trade. According to Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area, the Patriots had a deal in place with the 49ers but Aiyuk didn’t show interest in going to New England.
2:50pm: Tuesday has provided further developments on the Brandon Aiyuk front. The 49ers wideout continues his hold-in effort while multiple teams are engaged in trade negotiations.
It was learned last night that the framework of an agreement had been worked out between San Francisco and both Cleveland and New England. That has left the Browns and Patriots as teams to watch closely, but they are not the only ones still in the running. The Steelers re-engaged in talks earlier today, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. 
Pittsburgh has frequently been mentioned as a landing spot for Aiyuk this offseason. The 26-year-old named Pittsburgh (along with Washington) as a destination which interested him, although his public remarks at that time suggested he would remain in the Bay Area for 2024. Since then, extension talks with the 49ers have not progressed, fueling Aiyuk’s formal trade request and his subsequent hold-in efforts.
The Steelers traded Diontae Johnson to the Panthers this offseason, one in which veteran Allen Robinson was released. While the team did select Roman Wilson in the third round of the draft, adding an accomplished wideout has long been named as a remaining team priority. General manager Omar Khan recently said no moves on that front were imminent, but remaining in the hunt for Aiyuk means Pittsburgh could still manage to swing a deal.
As for the Steelers’ competition in the Aiyuk sweepstakes, the Patriots remain a contender as they have been for quite some time. New England was among the teams which discussed a receiver trade with San Francisco at the draft, although the subject at that time was Deebo Samuel. The 49ers’ other starting wideout has two years remaining on his contract, whereas Aiyuk is attached to the fifth-year option for the coming campaign. The Arizona State product is seeking a long-term deal at a price higher than what San Francisco is willing to authorize, and the latest wave of trade discussion has led to the expectation a trade will be more likely than a 49ers resolution.
Notably, veteran NFL insider Josina Anderson reports the Patriots have not upped their offer from where it has been “for a while.” The Browns’ ability to acquire Aiyuk would hinge on draft capital added to an offer including five-time Pro Bowler Amari Cooper. Cooper had his Cleveland accord enhanced recently, but he remains a pending free agent. Adding him to the mix would nevertheless represent a win-now move from the 49ers’ perspective, something which must be kept in mind given their Super Bowl window being open at the moment.
Echoing his reporting from Monday, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo states a trade remains a distinct possibility in this case relative to where things stood in previous days (video link). He notes the sense that a deal is getting “closer,” while adding no team can safely be considered out of the running altogether. How the Steelers, Patriots and Browns in particular proceed in the immediate future will thus remain worth watching closely.
Of course, at least two other teams are believed to be prepared to meet Aiyuk’s asking price, which will likely check in around $30MM per season as a result of the latest surge in the WR market. Aiyuk has a pecking order in terms of preferred landing spots, per Garafolo, although without a no-trade clause he does not have the power to veto a deal. Whether or not a final trade agreement will be struck remains a critical unanswered question as training camps roll on.
Pats will blow this by being cheap
It makes zero sense to for the Pats to overpay on a good, but not elite WR when they have a glaring need at both tackles.
He’s not going to New England. He wants to win and get paid. He might get some of that in Cleveland. But not in NE and gonna be tough sledding in Pitt too. That offense looks bad on paper.
they offered him top 5 WR money. he didnt want to play for NE
Pats cannot give up a 1st round pick for Aiyuk. Maybe a 3rd and Kendrick Bourne.
I get not wanting to trade a first when that first is likely to be so high, but a third and Bourne would get laughed off the phone.
That may not be enough, but hey, the Bears got Keenan Allen for a 4th. Yes, Allen will have to be paid to stay after this season, and he’s older, but Aiyuk is gonna demand a huge payday as well. I don’t know- maybe a 2 and a future 4? This is gonna be interesting to watch…
Allen is one of the oldest receivers in football and has one of the highest receiver cap hits in football even after the $11 million in dead money LA is eating. Granted, it’s later in the season, but this is much more like the AJ Brown situation. It’s about acquiring the kind of star receiver in his prime that doesn’t reach free agency. It’s later in the offseason, so there’s less of a market, but he’s still not going to come cheap.
Laughed at and no further conversations made type deal. 2nd and a condition extra second in 2026 plus a young WR. Maybe one of the recent draft picks plus Bourne.
How are you going to outbid the team that traded for and resigned DeShaun Watson?
The Browns can overpay and then overpay for players at a level most organizations simply can’t match.
….and they stink anyway. 😉
I trust Omar and it seems like he has a really good poker game. I’m hoping that he’s sticking to his guns so to speak. Namely, I hope he’s not offering any first-rounders, and I hope he’s not planning to pay Aiyuk like the #1 receiver that he isn’t and wouldn’t be in Pittsburgh.
I like Pickens, but Aiyuk is better.
He arguably is, but GP would still be #1 at least initially even if they acquired Aiyuk. And defenses would be more attentive to GP simply because of the deep threat every play.
This may not even come down to trade compensation. It’s likely going to be determined by who offers the most money or what Aiyuk feels is the best situation. He really controls the outcome.
Maybe the Steelers don’t have a WR to send SF but perhaps part with Pat and give SF another TE along with draft picks.
If Aiyuk doesn’t get traded it’s one thing but Omar cannot go into the season with Van Jefferson as your #2 WR
Aiyuk doesn’t control the outcome. He is under contract for 1-3 more years. He has no leverage. The 49ers called his bluff and told him the will trade him to the browns or pats. He’s not picking where he goes.
He can control it a little.
He could let teams know that he wouldn’t sign with them.
It would be a big gamble as the team he wants to go to might not offer enough to SF to get a trade done, but he could influence it to some extent.
Then the niners keep him, he has to play this year. He has absolutely no control.
He can say he won’t sign with either team, but then he’s right back where he started, under contract playing for the 49ers.
Patriots commanders Steelers could happen. But also one team no one is talking about…
The Saskatchewan Roughriders?
Close
Adam Thielen (soon to be 34) caught 60 more passes than the next most active WR in Carolina, so they obviously have a need. The Bears and Giants were able to fleece Tepper in trades so the 49ers probably wouldn’t mind trying to do the same.
Yes panthers makes sense and so does Ravens
Baltimore was the most run heavy team last season and with the addition of Henry that trend will probably continue. I doubt they would try to outbid other teams for Aiyuk.
Aiyuk fits the Ravens’ style, but his demands don’t. It would be the perfect combination for Lamar stylistically, as Aiyuk’s underneath ability would complement Jackson’s, but that would be a lot of money to spend on an expensive receiver who the team paid a lot to acquire.
Probably are not talking about them because they are not involved in trade talks
We don’t know all teams yet buddy it hasn’t been officially reported about all
Pro Football Focus ranks Wilson and Watson in the top 25 while
purdy is top 15. The 49ers are +600 to win the Super Bowl while the Steelers and Browns are both at +4000.
To trade for Brandon Aiyuk you have to make both the organization and the player happy with the deal. Both will be expensive.
Cancer has a high asking price these days, although BA backwards is AB…
So it’s basically browns or bust. Amari and a 2nd works I’d guess
You can keep cooper and 9ers will take your first.
Worth repeating, Aiyuk is under contract this year and possibly two more with tags. Those tags are going to be less than the money he is seeking. If he signed the 49ers deal, which would average to ~$26m a year, the raise he would get this year is worth more than the total he is haggling about for his next contract, which assuming he stays with the Niners, means he’s missing out on $12m this year by not signing. So he’s haggling about $4m a year over a 3 year deal. Add in that the tag will be less, over 3 years he is potentially costing himself upwards of $20m in the long run. As again, he’s under contract.
They really need to make these guys finish all 4 years of school, and actually show up to class.
The 49ers said it was the pats or browns. When the 49ers say there is another team involved, then I’ll believe it. Sending Aiyuk where he wants to go sets a bad precedent. This guy isn’t a franchise hero, he hasn’t even finished his rookie contract.
why am I seeing a story about this guy daily? There’s been no news all offseason.
When something happens, write a story. Until then, don’t bother.
Blah blah blah….this is called Pro Football Rumors…not Pro Football Facts and Stories
its the same rumor being reposted daily.
The Pats had the highest offer, and Aiyuk vetoed the trade. Good.
Clarify – if he’s on a rookie contract, albeit 5th year option, how is it he has any choice if/where he gets traded? Seems he’d either go wherever the Niners sent him or sit the season. (Would his 5th year just toll?)
I would imagine that he would refuse to sign an extension. NE wouldn’t want to give up a high pick for one year of Aiyuk in a year that they aren’t ready to compete. Im sure the team that trades for him will have an extension in place. Just a guess
Soft leverage, more than anything. Aiyuk doesn’t control where he goes, but he can afterward (barring a tag). That’s the only leverage that he has, other than sudden retirement. Given how expensive he’ll be to acquire, it could develop contentiousness. The only leverage he has againstSan Fran is try to sabotage a trade, which is not real hard leverage that’s concrete or serms adequate to enforce
Holding out for a specific contract with a specific team? His agent must be a peach to deal with right now.
If New England was willing to extend him at his price and he still said no, there is for sure tampering going on here. There are only 3 or 4 teams total each offseason able to maneuver their cap to take on an extension of this size.
How could you turn down that money from 25% of the teams able to even offer it in the first place unless you have a similar bag wrapped up somewhere else?
I assume at this point of the season, he’s looking for an extension with future guaranteed money, so the 2024 cap hit would be lessened and more teams would be interested. Some teams could probably dump a contract or two now, especially if younger (cheaper) rookies are performing well in training camp.
Lamb is a better WR. Why doesn’t Pitt offer Dallas a trade Dallas can’t refuse.
Pittsburgh has a history of letting WRs go at the prime of their career, not bringing them in. Besides, Jerry will likely dump Dak before Lamb, or pay them both way too much money while his team goes down the drain. Not the most savvy cap master…
Changed my mind; don’t trade him.
Handle him like players who won’t participate have been handled from Pop Warner through Division 1 … bench him
Let’s see how much he signs for next season without being able to showcase himself on the field this season.
This has nothing to do with me being on the side of the owners and I’m all for maximizing your worth but this has become intolerable.
If you can’t honor the contract … if you won’t stand by your word … then
Aiyuk’s agent and the 49ers realize that they start salary cap hell starting in 2025 and 2026 and beyond as they have pushed these contracts down the road. Steelers make the most sense as far as cap space although they will have to pay a QB in 2025. Tomlin will guide them to 9 or 10 wins somehow like he always does so a 1st round pick will be in the late teens or early 20’s.
Van Jefferson and a second. If you can land him for that, cool. If not…
I think they’d rather have Amari Cooper and a 2nd.
I would…if I were SF.
But if I were PGH, I’m not moving a first and they have Van Jefferson, not Amari Cooper, to offer, so…
It is what it is.