Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk appears to be faced with two very similar options as he tries to sort out his contract situation.
The Pittsburgh Steelers remain interested in Aiyuk, but their contract offer to him came in at less than $28 million, according to Albert Breer of The MMQB. That is actually very similar to what Aiyuk is being offered by the San Francisco 49ers.
The offer prompted Aiyuk to return to negotiations with the 49ers, though coach Mike Tomlin’s presence in Pittsburgh remains a key selling point for the wide receiver.
The dance between Aiyuk and his suitors is a strange one, partly because the wide receiver is not simply seeking the most money. The New England Patriots were offering him over $30 million, but he turned down that option because the team is not likely to be competitive this year. We knew he would take less money to join Pittsburgh, but it is not clear if that would still be his preference if the contractual terms from the Steelers and 49ers are on roughly equal footing.
Earlier in the offseason, it was reported that Aiyuk was seeking $28 million annually. He had the chance to get that and turned it down, leaving him in a position where he will likely have to accept slightly less. He and the Niners are still haggling over minor details, but at some point, he has to either pick a team or risk overplaying his hand, if that has not already happened.
