Brandon Aiyuk Rumors: Steelers Would Send Round 2 Pick, No Players to 49ers in Trade

The Pittsburgh Steelers are not looking to lose any players in a potential Brandon Aiyuk trade.

During an appearance on The Rich Eisen Show, Gerry Dulac of KDKA-TV reported that the Steelers' trade offer to the San Francisco 49ers included a second-round pick and some potential lower picks but did not include any players.

"The Steelers, I was told, were not going to offer any players in the trade," Dulac said. "They were going to offer draft picks, a number two, and then something else. I guess they are just kind of waiting to see what the 49ers decide to do."

Dulac continued by saying the Steelers are "very adamant" about not including a player and while adding Aiyuk would help improve the receiving core, he's not a "need."

"They would like to have him, I don't want to say they need to have him," Dulac said. "When you have George Pickens, you don't need to have him, but there is no question they would like to have him."

Aiyuk is seeking a new contract and the presence of multiple star players on the 49ers roster means that not everyone will be able to hang around. The New England Patriots and Cleveland Browns were previous suitors for the 26-year-old, but the Steelers appear to be the only trade option left for San Francisco.

Aiyuk is certainly worth a lucrative contract and a prominent role in an offense. He had 75 catches for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns in 2023 and helped lead the 49ers to a Super Bowl appearance.

Pittsburgh could certainly improve with Aiyuk on the roster and have $16.2 million in cap space, per Over The Cap. However, the presence of a strong receiver like Pickens already makes the lives of Russell Wilson and Justin Fields a bit easier and sacrificing from other areas of the team appears to not be in the Steelers' interest.