Latest Brandon Aiyuk trade rumor reveals absolutely nothing new
By Peter Panacy
The 49ers and Steelers apparently have a trade in place for Brandon Aiyuk, but the Niners have to sign off on it... which isn't anything new.
The San Francisco 49ers are on the brink of trading disgruntled wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk.
And the Niners appear comfortable staying on the brink.
Rumors surrounding such a possible trade have quieted down in recent days, dropping from the high-water mark back when San Francisco reportedly had deals in place with both the Cleveland Browns and New England Patriots that's ship the 49ers' leading pass catcher from the last two years to one of those two squads.
Except Aiyuk reportedly wouldn't accept an extension with either franchise, effectively nixing whatever deals there were.
The Pittsburgh Steelers, too, were hotly in the mix. But, apparently, they weren't willing to give up adequate player compensation for Aiyuk, despite his desire to go there and accept an extension.
In recent days, such talks have diminish, leading some to believe both Aiyuk and the Niners would soon come to an agreement.
However, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported San Francisco and Pittsburgh have an agreement in place that would complete the trade.
All that's left is for the 49ers to fully sign off on the deal
Update on Brandon Aiyuk:
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 13, 2024
-- The Steelers and #49ers have a deal on a potential trade and PIT is in a good place on an Aiyuk contract, sources say. If SF gives the final sign-off, it's done.
-- SF has an offer out to Aiyuk on a long-term deal for him to stay. He hasn't accepted. pic.twitter.com/ZepVTfv4Nj
Unfortunately, at least for those who want to see a resolution involving a trade of some kind, this isn't anything particularly new.
The Niners still have to agree to the trade. Having an agreement in place isn't exactly legally binding, and a trade isn't finalized unti it's, well... finalized. All parties aren't there yet.
And it's not unlike the other would-be deals that fell through either.
Sure, it's possible San Francisco signs off this time. Previous reports suggested Aiyuk has recently worn out his welcome with head coach Kyle Shanahan, who is leaning toward parting ways with one of his best offensive weapons.
However, for a 49ers team aiming for nothing short of winning a Super Bowl, cutting ties with Aiyuk when he's still under contract for 2024 makes little sense.
In short, Rapoport's latest report doesn't exactly reveal anything new.
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