Brandon Aiyuk

Early-Season Brandon Aiyuk Return In Play; Latest On 49ers’ Jordan Mason Trade

April 13th, 2025 at 1:39pm CST by Rory Parks

Thanks in large part to the $22.85MM roster bonus that vested on April 1, along with the fact that his contract and recent ACL tear have cratered his trade value, wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk will be back with the 49ers in 2025 as both player and team attempt to rebound from a forgettable 2024 season. We recently heard Aiyuk was targeting a return midway through the 2025 slate, but there is some hope he could be back even earlier, as Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area writes.

“I don’t know,” Kyle Shanahan said at this year’s league meetings. “It’s too early to tell. The goal is always early. You hope to have him right away. We were told by his doctor there’s a chance. But it’s too early in the process and we’ll see when we get closer to training camp and see what it looks like.”

Confirming Aiyuk’s recovery is coming along as planned, GM John Lynch added, “[w]e’re pleased with Brandon’s progress. He’s been working hard and got good reviews from [surgeon] Dr. [Neal] ElAttrache. That was a key marker, as I mentioned it would be. He did well.”

San Francisco lost a great deal of notable talent this offseason thanks to cap constraints, and it also traded away longtime WR Deebo Samuel. After authorizing a four-year, $120MM extension for Aiyuk in August 2024 – on the heels of the receiver’s 75/1,342/7 showing in 2023 – the Niners were reportedly open to dealing the Arizona State product this year as well. While it would not have taken much to convince Lynch to agree to a trade, it seems that even a buy-low offer did not come in.

Meanwhile, Lynch did execute a trade with the Vikings, sending running back Jordan Mason to Minnesota in exchange for a 2026 sixth-rounder and a Day 3 pick swap in the 2025 draft. While the deal may have been motivated in part by finances – the 49ers had applied the second-round RFA tender to Mason, which would have paid him a fully guaranteed $5.3MM in 2025 – the presence of fellow RB Isaac Guerendo also played a role.

“I was impressed with how tough he competed, how hard he ran,” Shanahan said of Guerendo (via Matt Barrows of The Athletic (subscription required)). “I think he ran harder as the year went (on), which is a really good sign for guys. Because if you run less hard as the year goes on you’re probably not going to be running it too much in the future. I was impressed with the mentality he had.”

That said, injuries have frequently forced Shanahan to plumb the depths of his RB depth chart during his tenure as the Niners’ HC. With the injury-prone Christian McCaffrey due back as the club’s RB1, the 49ers still should be considered likely to use this deep draft class to further bolster this position, Barrows adds. Though, Guerendo flashed at points during an intriguing rookie year.

Labeling Guerendo as a player with a “bright future,” Shanahan observed the fourth-round pick average five yards per carry and 10.1 per reception. The Wisconsin product totaled 78 rushing yards and two touchdowns during a start against the Bears while adding 99- and 85-yard showings prior to that outing. Guerendo suffered an MCL sprain and a sprained ankle late in the season. By trading Mason, the 49ers dealt away a key backup option. While they are set to turn to a player who clocked a 4.33-second 40-yard dash time at the 2024 Combine, more help will likely be en route soon.

McCaffrey had held up for the 49ers between the October 2022 trade and Super Bowl LVIII, but last season reminded of the injury issues the dynamic starter experienced as a Panther. Guerendo should be expected to see steady work off the bench in 2025, and it will be interesting if the 49ers make a notable addition to further insure this position group. Patrick Taylor and Israel Abanikanda round out the 49ers’ RB contingent.

Sam Robinson contributed to this post.

49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk On Track For Midseason Return; Trade Unlikely To Happen After 4/1?

April 2nd, 2025 at 8:33am CST by Rory Parks

APRIL 2: Lynch effectively confirmed the 49ers do not intend to trade Aiyuk. As the Tuesday bonus vesting date has come and gone — meaning the $76MM fully guaranteed to Aiyuk has now triggered (via NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo) — San Francisco will move forward with its 2024 extension recipient.

MARCH 30: A report from FOX Sports’ Jordan Schultz several days ago indicated the 49ers, who have seen salary cap constraints trigger a mass exodus of talent this offseason, are open to trading wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk. Given the lucrative extension Aiyuk signed in August and the season-ending ACL tear he suffered in October, the Niners would be selling low if they were to move him, and an unofficial deadline in that regard is fast approaching.

As Schultz observed in his report and as ESPN’s Adam Schefter echoed on a recent episode of his podcast (h/t Kyle Posey of Niners Nation), Aiyuk has a $22.85MM roster bonus due on April 1. Schefter cannot envision a scenario in which San Francisco pays out that bonus and then trades Aiyuk at any point in 2025, particularly when the wideout’s value is at its nadir.

Instead, assuming the April 1 “deadline” passes without a trade having been consummated, Schefter expects the 49ers will simply wait for Aiyuk to get healthy and display the same high-end ability that landed him a four-year, $120MM contract last year and that made him such a sought-after trade commodity prior to the contract being signed. The Niners have already traded Deebo Samuel, and their WR depth chart outside of Aiyuk presently consists of 2024 draftees or veteran ancillary targets, so a healthy and productive return for Aiyuk would, if nothing else, dramatically improve the club’s 2026 outlook.

On that point, Schefter says noted surgeon Dr. Neal ElAttrache is pleased with the progress Aiyuk has made in his recovery. It appears as if the 2020 first-rounder is on track to return to the field by the middle of the upcoming campaign, which should give San Francisco plenty of time to evaluate his future in the organization.

Schultz’s report noted the 49ers had discussed an Aiyuk trade with several teams. That jibed with an earlier report from Dianna Russini of The Athletic, who said — on the same day Samuel was traded — that Aiyuk was also drawing trade interest.

Schefter appears to deviate from his fellow pundits by saying there has not been much external interest in Aiyuk’s services due to his contract and injury concerns. That leads him to believes a trade will not happen, but if a WR-needy club is willing to roll the dice, the ESPN reporter confirms it would not take a significant offer to convince GM John Lynch to pull the trigger.

If such an offer does not come in the next two days, though, it seems fair to expect Lynch to retain Aiyuk through the 2025 season.

49ers Open To Trading WR Brandon Aiyuk

March 26th, 2025 at 10:16pm CST by Ben Levine

Recovering from an ACL injury and now attached to a lucrative four-year deal, Brandon Aiyuk hasn’t been nearly as popular on this website as he was last offseason. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean he’s any less available than he was in 2024.

According to Jordan Schultz of Fox Sports, the 49ers are open to trading their top wide receiver, and there has been “communication with several teams.” This follows a report from earlier this month that rival teams were sniffing around on Aiyuk’s trade availability.

With Aiyuk set to enter the final year of his rookie contract, the receiver appeared to be firmly on the trade block last offseason. He was connected to a number of teams, including a nixed trade to the Steelers, before ultimately inking a four-year, $120MM extension with the 49ers. Aiyuk tore his ACL in October, ending his season prematurely.

Aiyuk’s injury and extension would obviously change his trade market in 2025. Further, the 49ers’ receiving outlook looks a whole lot different than it did just one month ago. Deebo Samuel is now gone, leaving the organization with some question marks at the position.

Jauan Jennings had some standout performances while filling in for teammates in 2024 but has never topped 1,000 yards receiving, and Ricky Pearsall‘s tumultuous rookie season saw him finish with 31 receptions. The team added Demarcus Robinson to a grouping that also includes the likes of 2024 fourth-round pick Jacob Cowing, veteran Russell Gage, and free agent addition Isaiah Hodgins.

In other words, the team is expected to be especially reliant on Aiyuk moving forward, so it’d be a surprise if the team was suddenly willing to pivot when the player’s trade value is likely at its lowest. The timing of a trade could also complicate things. As Schultz notes, Aiyuk has a guaranteed option bonus of $23MM due next week, and a trade would likely have to be consummated before that date.

So, while both the 49ers and suitors may have interest in a potential deal, it seems unlikely that anything will come to fruition any time soon.

WR Brandon Aiyuk Drawing Trade Interest

March 1st, 2025 at 12:58pm CST by Ben Levine

As the Deebo Samuel sweepstakes continues to heat up, rival teams are sniffing around on another 49ers receiver. According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, teams have expressed interest in trading for 49ers wideout Brandon Aiyuk.

Aiyuk, of course, was one of the main characters of the 2024 offseason. The receiver was a mainstay in trade rumors before ultimately signing a four-year, $120MM extension with the Niners. The drama proved to be especially worthwhile for the player after he suffered a season-ending ACL tear in October, an injury that surely would have impacted his earnings potential in 2025.

A trade market would obviously look different in 2025 vs. 2024. Besides Aiyuk’s injury and impending rehab, the receiver is now firmly attached to a contract that’s tied for fifth at the position in average annual value. Last offseason’s saga featured plenty of potential suitors. The wideout reportedly nixed a trade to the Steelers, and he wasn’t interested in re-signing with the Patriots and Browns. The Commanders also reached out about a deal, although the 49ers were reportedly asking for Terry McLaurin in return.

Samuel’s recent trade request also changes things. The 49ers may be even more reliant on Aiyuk moving forward, as the organization intends to honor Samuel’s wish. The Commanders are once again talking trade with San Francisco, as we heard yesterday that they’re one of two teams “aggressively” pursuing the veteran (along with the Texans).

Any teams interested in Aiyuk would surely be looking to buy low. Even before his season-ending injury, Aiyuk wasn’t putting up the same numbers as his All-Pro 2023 campaign. After averaging 83.9 yards per game in 2023, Aiyuk dropped to 53.4 yards per game in 2024, with his catch percentage and receiving success rate also dropping to career lows.

There’s no true incentive for the 49ers to sell Aiyuk when his value is lowest, and the team would surely prefer he just returns to form and leads the depth chart. The likes of Jauan Jennings, 2024 first-round pick Ricky Pearsall, and 2024 fourth-round Jacob Cowing could easily step up in 2025, but the team will already be relying on the depth with Deebo out the door.

49ers Targeted Terry McLaurin In Potential Commanders Trade

December 26th, 2024 at 10:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

The 49ers’ Brandon Aiyuk saga brought countless rumors last summer. The what-ifs involved a host of teams and other wideouts — Amari Cooper, Justin Jefferson and Courtland Sutton among them — as San Francisco ultimately stayed the course with a player who snared second-team All-Pro acclaim last season.

Aiyuk talks with the Steelers became the 49ers’ top contingency plan, as the Browns and Patriots also made aggressive trade and extension offers. Given permission to explore trade avenues, Aiyuk was not interested in a deal to Cleveland or New England. And he eventually nixed a Pittsburgh path, signing a four-year, $120MM San Francisco extension. That deal soon became even more important for Aiyuk, who suffered a torn ACL that ended what had already been a disappointing season.

Throughout the process, the Commanders loomed as a stealth destination — dating back to Aiyuk suggesting the fit in June. It later came out that Aiyuk would have indeed been interested in being moved to Washington to team up with Jayden Daniels, Aiyuk’s teammate in 2019 with Arizona State. The Commanders were not believed to have been overly interested, despite an apparent need for a player to complement Terry McLaurin. New information sheds some light on why Washington did not dive into the Aiyuk sweepstakes.

The 49ers would have been open to appeasing Aiyuk by dealing him to the Commanders had the NFC East team included McLaurin in the deal, The Athletic’s Matt Barrows notes (subscription required). Unlike the Browns, the Commanders were not offering their No. 1 target for Aiyuk. Incongruous plans presumably doomed a 49ers-Commanders swap this summer.

It would have stood to reason the Commanders would have wanted Aiyuk to play alongside McLaurin, as the Steelers did by eyeing an Aiyuk-George Pickens combo. Rather than offer Pickens to the 49ers in an Aiyuk package, the Steelers offered picks and eventually agreed to trade parameters. That opens the door to Washington potentially being able to have done the same, but reports did not have the NFC East club nearly as far down the road on a trade this summer.

Cleveland offered Cooper, along with second- and fifth-round picks, to San Francisco for Aiyuk, who would have paired with Jerry Jeudy. The Patriots discussed Kendrick Bourne with the 49ers. McLaurin, however, appeared to represent a bridge too far; moving their perennial leading receiver for Aiyuk would have not stood to produce much of a gain for the Commanders.

At 29, McLaurin is three years older than Aiyuk. But he had already been working with Daniels for months by the time serious Aiyuk trade talks commenced. The former third-round pick is having his best season, averaging a career-high 63.3 receiving yards per game.

McLaurin, who has only missed three career games, now has five 1,000-yard seasons, having crossed that barrier most recently in Week 16. His contract, one that helped shape the 49ers’ Deebo Samuel extension, runs through 2025. The Commanders will need to navigate extension talks soon, but they appear quite happy with McLaurin, whose third contract would complement Daniels’ rookie deal.

McLaurin has outplayed Samuel by a significant margin this season and would stand to have more 2025 trade value, but no indications have surfaced Washington plans to seriously entertain a move. Aiyuk’s 49ers deal runs through 2028.

49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk Suffers ACL Tear

October 21st, 2024 at 4:15pm CST by Ely Allen

OCTOBER 21: Aiyuk is indeed out for the year, as first confirmed by Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz. Adding further details on the extent of the injury, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network notes Aiyuk tore his ACL and MCL; further damage may also be present. Even if not, a lengthy recovery period is now in store.

OCTOBER 20: It took a while for 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk to find his sea legs in the 2024 NFL season, and just as it appears that he found his groove, Aiyuk’s season may be coming to an end. Aiyuk left today’s loss to the Chiefs shortly before the end of the first half and was unable to return. ESPN’s Lindsey Thiry was the first to relay head coach Kyle Shanahan‘s concern that Aiyuk’s injury was a torn ACL.

Aiyuk’s name was a common one in NFL news circles this offseason as he held out for a new contract in San Francisco, at one point even requesting a trade. The 49ers eventually got him signed to an extended contract at the end of August, but missing the ramp up into the regular season seemingly proved significant on the veteran receiver’s production early this year.

In the first four weeks of the season, Aiyuk failed to eclipse five receptions or 48 receiving yards, despite being targeted 10 times in Week 3, and had not caught a touchdown. The 26-year-old had a breakout performance in a Week 5 loss to the Cardinals, catching 8 passes for 147 yards, and though he still didn’t have a touchdown, it appeared that Aiyuk was on his way back to his usual self. Last week saw a bit of regression, but hopes were still high that Aiyuk was on the come up.

Today’s game was looking like another lackluster performance in the making. On six targets, Aiyuk only had two catches for 23 yards. On his second catch of the day, Aiyuk was led over the middle by quarterback Brock Purdy, where defensive back Chamarri Conner met him with a low tackle right at the knees. Aiyuk was carted off the field with what immediately looked like a serious knee injury. Shanahan’s fears echoed what many assumed from watching the play.

Aiyuk’s absence exacerbated an already bad situation in the receiving corps. The 49ers knew heading into today that Jauan Jennings was out with a hip injury and Deebo Samuel exited the game after only a few plays with an illness. Samuel reportedly woke up feeling ill and attempted to play through his sickness but very quickly determined that he would be unable to contribute. This left San Francisco without their top three receiving options for the rest of the day.

Luckily, the team saw the NFL debut of first-round Florida receiver Ricky Pearsall, who was activated off the NFI list on Friday. Purdy was throwing to Pearsall, fourth-round rookie Jacob Cowing, Ronnie Bell, and Chris Conley. The four were targeted for a combined 12 of Purdy’s 31 pass attempts, reeling in a combined six balls for 81 yards. Even with Samuel expected back after recovering from illness, if Aiyuk is out for an extended period, the four who played today are going to need to take some big steps up to support the offense.

For Aiyuk, that holdout seems perfectly justified now. If Aiyuk hadn’t fought for the contract like he had, he would still be on a contract year and headed towards free agency after suffering a serious, potentially season-ending knee injury. Tomorrow’s tests will determine just how long Aiyuk may be out. If it is indeed a torn ACL, his four-year, $120MM contract with $76MM guaranteed may provide a bit of solace in an otherwise devastating situation.

49ers WR Deebo Samuel Expected To Return In Week 4

September 29th, 2024 at 7:39am CST by Ben Levine

SEPTEMBER 29: Samuel is returning sooner than expected. As first reported by NFL insider Jordan Schultz, the 28-year-old wideout expects to play in the 49ers’ Week 4 contest against the the Patriots, and ESPN’s Adam Schefter subsequently noted that the team has the same expectation.

While Jennings had a monster performance in Samuel’s absence in Week 3 — catching 11 passes for 175 yards and three scores — San Francisco still lost the game, and the club will be happy to have the former First Team All-Pro back in the fold.

SEPTEMBER 16: The 49ers are down another offensive star. Receiver Deebo Samuel suffered a calf strain yesterday that will sideline him for several weeks, per ESPN’s Nick Wagoner.

According to 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan, Samuel believes he suffered his injury late in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s loss. The 49ers only played a handful of additional offensive snaps before the game ended. It doesn’t sound like Samuel will require an IR stint, but Shanahan also hinted that this will be more than a one-game absence.

The 49ers were already operating without star RB Christian McCaffrey, with Samuel soaking up a handful of leftover snaps in the backfield (behind Jordan Mason). Samuel was naturally impressing in the receiving game, averaging 82 yards through his first two contests. That marked his highest average since his 1,405-yard receiving effort in 2021, and it was also a major step up from his 54.4 yards-per-game-mark between 2022 and 2023.

Attention will now turn to the team’s remaining offensive star in Brandon Aiyuk. The wideout is coming off a drama-filled training camp and preseason that included a hold-in and a trade request. That ended up culminating in the receiver earning a contract worth $30MM annually, and the fifth-year pro will now be called upon to help guide the team’s receivers. Through two games, Aiyuk has hauled in only six catches for 71 yards, and he had a notable dropped touchdown in Week 1.

With Samuel out, Jauan Jennings will likely see an uptick in playing time. The Super Bowl LVIII standout got into 38 offensive snaps yesterday, and he was the only receiver outside of Samuel and Aiyuk to see a significant role. Chris Conley and Ronnie Bell got into a combined 15 snaps, while Jacob Cowing didn’t garner an offensive snap. Rookie Ricky Pearsall will also eventually be inserted into the conversation, although there’s a good chance he’s back after Samuel.

49ers Attempted Trade For Justin Jefferson Before Draft

September 15th, 2024 at 6:20pm CST by Ely Allen

This offseason saw the Vikings sign their young, star wide receiver Justin Jefferson to the biggest contract for a pass catcher in NFL history, The four-year, $140MM deal matched Davante Adams in total value, but with Adams contract for five years, that leaves Jefferson alone at the top in average annual value with $35MM per year. Before the team ensure Jefferson was sticking around for years to come, though, multiple teams reached out with interest in trading for the offensive phenom.

According to a recent report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the 49ers checked if Minnesota was open at all to a trade that would land them the NFL’s top wideout. This attempt at a trade happened amidst San Francisco’s contract struggles with their own wide receiver, Brandon Aiyuk. The Aiyuk-situation devolved to a point at which the 49ers wide receiver even requested a trade himself.

The deal was a no-go for the Vikings from the start. The 49ers weren’t the only ones to try, though. Per Schefter, the Jets and Colts made inquiries, as well, into obtaining the star receiver. Minnesota shut down any interest and delivered on their own plans of extending Jefferson to his record-breaking deal. San Francisco, for their part, ended up inking Aiyuk after their failed trade attempt, signing him to a four-year, $120.01MM contract.

This report is a timely one as the two teams faced off today. Jefferson’s 133-yard performance including a 97-yard touchdown was a key factor in Minnesota’s victory over the favored 49ers. Aiyuk’s season, after his long holdout, is off to a slow start. So far this year, Aiyuk has six catches for 71 yards in two contests.

Brandon Aiyuk Nixed Trade To Steelers; Latest On Browns, Patriots’ Proposals

September 10th, 2024 at 10:20pm CST by Sam Robinson

Due to the 49ers‘ interest in keeping Brandon Aiyuk via an extension, the fifth-year wide receiver carried substantial control during his trade sweepstakes despite the lack of a no-trade clause. Although Aiyuk shut down Cleveland and New England as destinations, as his San Francisco talks continued, he was believed to be fine being dealt to Pittsburgh. Until the 11th hour, that is.

While Aiyuk ended up signing a four-year, $120MM extension to remain with the 49ers, FOX’s Jay Glazer reports the team nearly traded him to the Steelers on the day he agreed to terms. After giving Aiyuk what amounted to an ultimatum two weeks ago, the 49ers were finalizing a trade to the Steelers. Aiyuk intervened, however, leading to a frantic sequence that shut down this would-be deal. The Steelers’ party line pointed to the team expecting Aiyuk to sign a 49ers extension, but it certainly appears they were in this until the end.

Aiyuk showed up early to the 49ers’ facility August 29, meeting with Kyle Shanahan to inform the eighth-year HC he was still interested in staying. Shanahan attempted to call the 49ers’ front office power brokers to inform them of this, but Glazer adds he was unable to get through due to team brass’ discussions with the Steelers about the then-impending trade. Shanahan then proceeded to run across the facility to stop trade talks, with the team then expressing its final ultimatum.

Aiyuk had until the end of practice August 29 to commit to the team — via the extension offer that had been on the table since August 12 — or be traded. Shanahan effectively confirmed (via 49ersWebZone.com) Glazer’s account after the 49ers’ Week 1 win over the Jets.

That development wrapped one of the busiest wide receiver sagas in recent NFL history. The 49ers had put two offers on the table for Aiyuk earlier in August — a three-year deal worth $87MM and the four-year, $120MM proposal — but SI.com’s Albert Breer indicated the fifth-year wideout rejected both. San Francisco had remained at its $26MM-per-year offer — which surfaced in May — until training camp but eventually came up toward Aiyuk’s price point. The guarantees in San Francisco’s 3/87 offer are not known, but the AAV would have still checked in more than $5MM north of Deebo Samuel‘s three-year deal (3/71.55).

That $26MM-per-year number came in lower than the Steelers’ extension offer — $27.7MM — but Aiyuk said he factored quarterback play and long-term success into his decision, ESPN.com’s Nick Wagoner adds. The 49ers saw Aiyuk and Brock Purdy form a potent connection last season, when Aiyuk zoomed to second-team All-Pro honors and led the NFC champions in receiving by a wide margin.

San Francisco has also become one of this period’s most reliable teams, advancing to two Super Bowls and two more conference championship games since 2019. The Steelers continue to stay above .500, but they have not won a playoff game since 2016. Their quarterback situation also invites major questions — particularly beyond 2024.

The Steelers had been part of a potential three-team trade — for all intents and purposes — involving the Broncos, as the 49ers had attempted to flip Pittsburgh’s third-round pick for Courtland Sutton. Denver declined, but Breer adds the 49ers ultimately called around a dozen teams discussing trades for wide receivers. The Steelers offered second- and third-round pick for Aiyuk but did not include any players, which did not mesh with what the 49ers wanted as they constructed another Super Bowl-contending roster. The other 49ers calls also involved the team attempting to trade the Steelers third-round pick for a wideout.

Despite the 49ers’ reservations about the Steelers not including a veteran player in their proposal, Pittsburgh and San Francisco agreed to trade parameters in mid-August. Despite his team’s short- and long-term QB uncertainty, Mike Tomlin had presented a draw for Aiyuk. This ties to the respected HC’s conversations with the wideout during the pre-draft process in 2020, Breer adds. The Steelers had traded their 2020 first-rounder for Minkah Fitzpatrick months earlier but did draft a wideout with its first pick that year (Chase Claypool, No. 49). The 49ers had taken Aiyuk at 25.

The Browns were willing to offer Aiyuk $30MM per season on a three-year deal, but the top extension offer in this derby still came from a Patriots team that had also chased Calvin Ridley in free agency.

New England also sent two offers Aiyuk’s way, per Breer, who adds the team was willing to pay the former first-round pick $32MM per year on a four-year deal and $30MM AAV on a three-year contract. As far as the Pats’ trade offer goes, Breer reports they proposed a 2025 second-rounder, a 2026 fourth and one veteran player. The 49ers had asked about a Kendrick Bourne reunion. While Breer does not specify which player the Pats were set to include, Bourne represents a good guess — even though his ACL rehab landed him on the PUP list.

George Pickens does not have much in the way of proven help in Pittsburgh. Ex-Rams and Falcons supporting-caster Van Jefferson started Sunday. Roman Wilson did not make his debut in Atlanta, but Tomlin said the third-round rookie will see more practice time soon. An ankle injury kept Wilson off the field during the preseason. The Steelers have a strong WR development track record, but after narrowly missing out on Aiyuk, they certainly look to need a quick progression from Wilson.

“I’m comfortable with the performance of these guys,” Tomlin said about his auxiliary WR group. “(I) had some questions, even dating back to spring, and to be quite honest with you, I probably went into the receiver room a couple weeks into camp and told them that. I just believe in being really transparent.

“But the consistency with which those guys performed in Latrobe and with team development has made me more comfortable, and specifically I’m talking about Scotty Miller and Van Jefferson. I just can’t say enough about the consistency with which they’ve performed, their floor.”

The Steelers added Miller, who joined Jefferson in playing under Arthur Smith last season, shortly after the draft. Miller played 17 offensive snaps against the Falcons; Jefferson logged 49 and caught one pass.

Brandon Aiyuk Showed Interest In Being Traded To Commanders

September 1st, 2024 at 9:16pm CST by Sam Robinson

The runaway leader in generating rumors among this year’s pack of disgruntled wide receivers, Brandon Aiyuk is finally locked down. The 49ers have the 2023 second-team All-Pro tied to a four-year, $120MM agreement, ending trade rumors and tethering the ascending player to San Francisco through the 2028 season.

As fallout pieces surface, however, Aiyuk is now believed to have added a team to his list of acceptable trade destinations. In addition to Aiyuk’s long-rumored interest in being traded to the Steelers, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler noted during a recent NFL Live appearance the fifth-year veteran would have been willing to be dealt to the Commanders.

Washington rosters the starting quarterback Aiyuk played with to close out his college career — Jayden Daniels — and Aiyuk communication with his former teammate generated headlines earlier this summer. Aiyuk had told Daniels during a video call the 49ers did not “want him back, I swear.” It took the parties more than two months from that point to hammer out an extension, and trade rumors swirled late in the process. The Commanders came up as a fringe Aiyuk destination; it does not seem they truly entered the fray.

The NFC East team did not show notable interest in acquiring Aiyuk, Fowler adds. The Commanders not being involved in the Aiyuk sweepstakes led to a 49ers-or-Steelers decision for the fifth-year wideout, who had effectively shut down potential trades to the Patriots or Browns.

Pittsburgh still loomed as a possible destination late in the process, but San Francisco would have been shorthanded at receiver thanks to Denver rejecting a third-round offer for Courtland Sutton. The 49ers had viewed the longtime Broncos pass catcher as a potential replacement for Aiyuk, in the event talks reached the point of no return and the 2020 first-round pick was indeed traded to the Steelers.

Washington enters the season with questions at receiver beyond veteran No. 1 Terry McLaurin. The team traded 2022 first-rounder Jahan Dotson to the Eagles in a pick-swap package headlined by a 2025 third-rounder. Noah Brown became the latest ex-Cowboy to join Dan Quinn in Washington, doing so after the Texans cut him. The Commanders drafted Luke McCaffrey in Round 3, but the second-generation NFL wideout has yet to establish himself as a surefire starter. Washington also carries fourth-year player Dyami Brown and veterans Jamison Crowder, Olamide Zaccheaus and Byron Pringle on what is presently a seven-receiver depth chart.

San Francisco’s offer had been on the table for a while, with the sides ironing out minor details near the end. Successfully convincing the 49ers to up their price — from the $26-$27MM-per-year range — Aiyuk was pleased with the deal’s frontloaded structure. These four-year, $120MM numbers match where the Dolphins went for Tyreek Hill in 2022, but Miami had included an inflated final-year salary to inflate the AAV to $30MM. Aiyuk, conversely, signed a true $30MM-per-year contract that includes $47MM due by April 2025. The latter component helped drive this deal past the goal line, Fowler adds.

Although the 49ers gave Aiyuk what appeared an ultimatum earlier this week, the player also wanted this matter finally done in order to avoid missing regular-season games. Of course, it is debatable if Aiyuk would have followed through with turning his hold-in strategy into missed regular-season contests (and game checks exceeding $820K). Trent Williams appears ready to execute this strategy, but Aiyuk is not in the same earnings bracket as the former Washington top-five pick.

As Aiyuk ramps up toward another starring role in San Francisco’s offense, Washington looks to have a multi-offseason project ahead to better equip Daniels with pass-catching weaponry.

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