Commanders Could Spoil Steelers Trade for Brandon Aiyuk
It appeared that it was down to just the Pittsburgh Steelers and San Francsico 49ers in the Brandon Aiyuk never-ending trade saga, but the Washington Commanders are back in the mix, according to 49ers insider Michael Silver.
“My updated information is that everything is still on the table, including all the trades you’ve heard about… That Steelers scenario… I wouldn’t rule out Washington,” Silver said on KNBR.
Washington traded wide receiver Jahan Dotson to the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday, which got people speculating that they could make a move for Aiyuk. Aiyuk also has a strong desire to reunite with Jayden Daniels, who was his quarterback at Arizona State.
Aiyuk took to social media to express his displeasure at the lack of movement this summer, posting a video to TikTok where he told Daniels that the 49ers “don’t want me.”
“When you talk about social media, shit, there’s a quarterback right there (in reference to Daniels). I’m thinking about what I could do with him. I’m thinking about if the Niners don’t want me to come back to play with them. I’m thinking about what I could do, I know what I could do,” Aiyuk told The Pivot.
Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports that Aiyuk and the 49ers haven’t budged in recent days and Aiyuk seems dug in, the Steelers are waiting and still in play.
49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan, speaking on KNBR, attempted to update the Aiyuk situation, but nothing has changed.
“Oh, so much has changed. No, I’m just joking. No, no new updates. I’m sorry to keep being boring with that, but I wish I was saying something different, but nothing’s changed yet,” Shanahan said.
Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reported in his MMQB column on Monday that the Steelers’ contract offer to Aiyuk is less than $28 million per year, which is in the same ballpark as what San Fran is offering. The Steelers offer forced Aiyuk to go back to the table with the 49ers.
“The Brandon Aiyuk situation drags on, and I don’t have a whole lot to add on it,” Breer wrote. “The San Francisco 49ers’ star didn’t want to go to New England, which offered him more than $30 million per year in its proposals, or the Cleveland Browns. The Steelers’ price point was less than $28 million, which put Pittsburgh right in the neighborhood the Niners were inhabiting—with Mike Tomlin’s presence there the drawing card. That, in turn, pushed Aiyuk back to the table with the Niners.”
The Steelers have believed for some time — at least since Steelers Now reported on Aug. 7 — that the Steelers have the framework of a deal in place with San Francisco to land Brandon Aiyuk. It appears that offer isn’t lucrative enough for Aiyuk.
Aiyuk’s contract doesn’t have a no-trade clause, but he effectively holds veto power by refusing to sign a new contract with any team the 49ers might reach a deal with.
With Dotson gone, Washington will rely on third-round pick Luke McCaffrey, Olamide Zaccheaus, and Dyami Brown to carry the load behind No. 1 wide receiver Terry McLaurin. If Washington can create a nice trade package for San Francisco and the compensation offer satisfies Aiyuk, the Nation Capital could be his landing spot.
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