On paper, the San Francisco 49ers appear to be the favorites to return to the Super Bowl yet again this coming season, but there is some uncertainty about what their roster will look like when training camp and the regular season start.
Star wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk reportedly asked the team to trade him, although his agent denied this, and the 49ers don’t seem to have much desire to trade him.
But per Michael Silver, the feeling among rival executives is that Aiyuk could be had “for the right price.”
One team rumored to be in the market for Aiyuk is the Pittsburgh Steelers, who could be one player such as Aiyuk away from becoming a legitimate power in the AFC.
Aiyuk has gradually improved each year ever since entering the NFL in 2020, and in 2023, he led the 49ers in receptions while posting 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns, which got him a spot on the All-Pro Second Team.
He has become quarterback Brock Purdy’s top target in the passing game, and he is also a willing blocker.
He is entering the final year of his rookie contract, and he has been looking for an extension that could make him one of the highest-paid wideouts in the league.
It is fair to say that if the Niners were to trade Aiyuk, they would take a significant step back this fall and winter, and it is the type of thing that could single-handedly cost them a real shot at the world championship.
They haven’t won it all since the 1994 season, and Niners Faithful has become very restless while waiting for the team to bring home the Vince Lombardi Trophy to California.
