The San Francisco 49ers have been exploring potential trades for Brandon Aiyuk, and the star wide receiver might be willing to take less money on a new deal from one particular team.
Aiyuk has been linked to a handful of teams in recent days, most notably the Pittsburgh Steelers, Cleveland Browns, and New England Patriots. The Patriots reportedly made an offer that the 49ers would have been willing to accept, but Aiyuk did not want to sign a long-term deal with New England.
According to Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area, Aiyuk has made it clear that Pittsburgh is one of his “preferred destinations.” The 26-year-old has not shown much interest in the Patriots or Browns, and Maiocco speculates that Aiyuk might even be willing to take less money from the Steelers than the other teams that have tried to acquire him.
One report this week claimed the Steelers were not willing to meet San Francisco’s asking price for Aiyuk, but the two teams have since re-engaged in negotiations.
Aiyuk essentially possesses a no-trade clause, as no team is going to give up draft capital for him without having a long-term contract extension in place. It is highly unlikely that any team would pull the trigger on acquiring him if Aiyuk said he was unwilling to sign an extension.
Aiyuk caught 75 passes for 1,342 yards and 7 touchdowns last season in what was his second consecutive 1,000-yard season. He seemed to hint earlier in the offseason that he wanted to reunite with a former college teammate, but that does not look like a realistic outcome.
