NFL insider reveals key reason why 49ers won't trade Brandon Aiyuk to Steelers

Speaking on The Pat McAfee Show, ESPN's Mike Greenberg pointed out an obvious reason why the 49ers won't trade Brandon Aiyuk to the Steelers.

For weeks, fans and analysts alike have been waiting for a resolution between the San Francisco 49ers and their disgruntled star wide receiver, Brandon Aiyuk, who has been seeking a new contract all offseason but hasn't received one yet.

This has led to a flurry of trade rumors and speculation, much of which has involved a would-be deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

These rumors have gone back and forth, quieted down before heating up again, leading to conclusions that go in a number of different directions.

So, naturally, that prompts the question: If a trade is imminent, why hasn't it happened yet?

There is a holdup. Aiyuk is reportedly OK with being traded, while the Niners are rumored to have a deal in place with Pittsburgh that would be agreeable. Yet the official "pen to paper" hasn't taken place yet.

According to one ESPN insider, it won't. And it's a pretty simple reason why.

ESPN's Mike Greenberg: 'I don't think Brandon Aiyuk is gonna be traded at this point'

One of the many criticisms facing San Francisco right now is why the team has let things drag out this long.

A simple answer to that is the 49ers have no intention of trading Aiyuk, which has been a stance for much of the offseason. Considering the Niners are in to win a Super Bowl now, trading off a top asset right before the regular season begins makes almost no sense. And the return value Pittsburgh could send back would only lessen San Francisco's immediate prospects for a championship.

That helps explain why the 49ers are hesitant to engineer a trade.

ESPN's Mike Greenberg, speaking on The Pat McAfee Show, agreed. In fact, Greenberg argued the Niners aren't going to trade Aiyuk at this point. If a trade was going to go down, it would have already gone through long ago.

"I don't think Brandon Aiyuk is gonna be traded at this point," Greenberg said.

Again, it's important to acknowledge that Aiyuk is still under contract with the 49ers through 2024. Should he opt to skip regular-season games, he could incur massive fines that'd equate to one week's full paycheck, per the terms of the current collective bargaining agreement.

And the Niners could apply the franchise tag on Aiyuk in 2025 and 2026, too, retaining further control. All parties involved are fully aware of this, although having a disgruntled receiver on the roster isn't necessarily ideal.

But that doesn't automatically force San Francisco's hand. In fact, the franchise could just as easily be working toward an agreeable extension.

Greenberg added, "I think if he was to get traded, it would have happened already."

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