The New England Patriots are the new favorites to land San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk in a trade, while the Pittsburgh Steelers have fallen to third, according to odds posted on Tuesday by BetArizona.com.
The Patriots are the favorites at +110, or implied odds of 47.6%, followed by the Cleveland Browns at +250, Pittsburgh Steelers at +420 and the field, including remaining with the 49ers, at +600.
The Patriots and Browns reportedly have deals in place with the 49ers that San Francisco general manager John Lynch has deemed acceptable, but they have yet to reach an agreement with the star on a new contract.
RELATED: Where Things Stand in Steelers, Brandon Aiyuk Saga
Aiyuk, meanwhile, would prefer to play for the Steelers or Washington Commanders if not the 49ers, but those teams have yet to meet San Francisco’s asking price.
The Steelers have had interest in Aiyuk for months, and had talks with the 49ers around the draft, but trade talks have intensified over the last 48 hours, as Aiyuk has threatened to skip games if there isn’t traction on a new deal. He has also formally requested a trade from the 49ers, but Lynch is holding many of the cards.
The 49ers not only have Aiyuk under contract for the 2024 season, but they can use the franchise tag on him up to two more times, giving them a ton of leverage in the situation. While they likely won’t trade Aiyuk to a team where he doesn’t want to go, keeping him and rejecting all the offers remains an attractive option for the 49ers, who are one of the favorites to win Super Bowl LIX.
As of mid-July, the Steelers were the favorites at +400. The Patriots were then third at +450.
RELATED: Separating Brandon Aiyuk Facts from Fiction
