Disgruntled San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk is reportedly the main target of the Pittsburgh Steelers, and trade talks are ongoing, according to The Athletic. Aiyuk was linked to the Cleveland Browns and New England Patriots earlier this week.
It feels like things have progressed too far and that a trade will eventually be completed, even though the two sides have not yet reached an agreement and Pittsburgh has not been able to accommodate San Fran’s request for a veteran wideout to help replace Aiyuk, who had a career-high 1,342 receiving yards last season, in any potential deal.
Adding a player of Aiyuk’s caliber to a redesigned offense that will feature Justin Fields or Russell Wilson (or a combination of the two) at quarterback would make a ton of sense for the Steelers, who haven’t won a playoff game since the 2016 campaign. It might even make them a dark horse candidate for a Super Bowl bid.
A postseason group The Steelers have never concluded with a record below.500 in the previous 17 seasons, despite depending on a bare minimum competent quarterback combination of Mitch Trubisky, Kenny Pickett, and Mason Rudolph in the previous campaign. Head coach of Pittsburgh is Mike Tomlin, who inked an agreement during the offseason that will keep him with the team until 2027.
With the Steelers’ victory over the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII, Tomlin became the youngest head coach in NFL history to coach in and win a Super Bowl. He finished the regular season with an impressive 173-100-2 (.633) record.
But other from a late charge to a defeat against the Packers in Super Bowl XLV, the Steelers have performed poorly in the postseason, finishing with an 8–10 overall record.
While it’s undoubtedly not fair, Aiyuk has played in as many Super Bowls as Tomlin has coached in addition to having a 6-3 playoff record with 24 receptions for 393 yards and a score.
Aiyuk might elevate a squad like the Steelers, who boast an outstanding defense, wide receiver George Pickens, tight end Pat Freiermuth, and running back Najee Harris as offensive playmakers. (It appears that Tomlin would be cool with it.)
To acquire Aiyuk and give him the kind of contract the Steelers were unwilling to offer Antonio Brown (rightfully so), Pittsburgh may have to give up significant draft capital as well as a depth receiver like seasoned Van Jefferson or speedster Calvin Austin III, but if the team is still playing football in late January or possibly early February, that will be a small price to pay.
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