Blinksportsnews247After Diontae Johnson was traded last week, the Pittsburgh Steelers are looking to add a top receiver to their roster.
According to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Steelers are reportedly working on it, and Brandon Aiyuk of the San Francisco 49ers has been mentioned. According to ESPN’s Dan Graziano, if his team is unable to come to a long-term agreement, he will have trade value.
Even with his impressive production and acrobatics, George Pickens isn’t quite a WR1 yet. He still has room to grow, both as a route runner and elsewhere. He requires both a change in mindset and a weapon in front of him to relieve some of the pressure.
Aiyuk, 26, is a vertical and goal line-to-goal line threat, one of the best route runners in the league, and a willing and consistent blocker—everything the Steelers could ask for in a receiver.
Aiyuk was a top receiver in 2023, recording a career-high 1,342 receiving yards, seven touchdowns, and just two drops on 86 catchable targets in 16 regular-season games.
Perhaps Aiyuk is the player the Steelers are pursuing, but at what price?
According to a story that surfaced on Monday, the 49ers wanted receiver Zay Jones and their first-round pick (No. 17) in exchange for Aiyuk, thus the Jacksonville Jaguars declined a possible trade. Jones, who will soon be 29 years old, only managed 321 yards and two touchdowns in 2023. If I were Jacksonville, a team searching for a top player after Calvin Ridley left in free agency, I would have taken that action immediately.
It sounds like Pittsburgh would have to give up a number of picks, including their first-round pick, in order to acquire Aiyuk. In addition to paying him $14 million this season (the fifth-year option), the Steelers are anticipated to sign him to a long-term contract. His estimated market value is $24 million a year, according to Spotrac.
It is more than the Steelers should be ready to forfeit as a run-heavy club with obvious problems along the offensive line.
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