Getty The Pittsburgh Steelers were listed as the betting favorite to be Brandon Aiyuk's next team
In the month since the Pittsburgh Steelers traded Diontae Johnson, plenty of different paths to replace him have presented themselves.
Some of those options haven’t panned out, and it is becoming more likely that they will address the position in the draft. However, one big name is still out there as a trade possibility, and one sportsbook believes the Steelers are the team most likely to land him.
SportsBetting.ag has the Steelers listed at 2-1 odds to be San Francisco 49ers receiver Brandon Aiyuk’s next team, according to a tweet by Chris Adamski of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
The Carolina Panthers and New England Patriots have the next best odds to land Aiyuk (6-1), followed by the Arizona Cardinals (7-1) and Los Angeles Chargers (9-1), according to Adamski.
Mixed Signals for the Steelers
The Steelers haven gotten mixed signals about Aiyuk’s availability during the offseason.
49ers general manager John Lynch said in March that Aiyuk, who is entering the final year of his rookie deal, was not available and the team was working on an extension for him, according to ESPN’s Nick Wagoner.
However, a week earlier, 1010 XL’s Mia O’Brien reported that the 49ers and the Jacksonville Jaguars had engaged in trade talks for Aiyuk but they fizzled out.
Then, on April 12, after Aiyuk unfollowed the 49ers on social media, Aiyuk’s agent shot down speculation on X that Aiyuk had requested a trade.
If it turns out that he is available for a trade this offseason, Aiyuk would be a great fit for the Steelers.
Their depth chart gets a bit questionable beyond George Pickens, who is their obvious WR1. No other receiver on the roster reached 250 receiving yards in 2023.
Aiyuk would immediately fix that problem and give them even more talent at receiver than they had with Johnson last season.
Aiyuk’s Rise to Stardom
Since the 49ers made the decision to select him with the 25th overall pick back in 2020, Aiyuk has been on a steady rise to stardom in the NFL.
He started his career with a solid 60 catches for 748 yards and 5 touchdowns in his rookie season.
Aiyuk followed that up with a similar season in year two. In 2021, he made 56 catches for 826 yards and another 5 TDs.
Then he made major progress in his third year. Aiyuk racked up 78 catches for 1,015 yards and 8 TDs.
In 2023, he established himself as a star at the position. Despite competing with George Kittle, Deebo Samuel, and Christian McCaffrey for targets, Aiyuk was able to reel in 75 catches for 1,342 yards and 7 touchdowns.
After his monster fourth season, Aiyuk earned a spot on the All-Pro Second Team.
Now the time is quickly approaching for Aiyuk to get paid like a star.
He is entering the fifth and final year of his rookie deal and wide receivers have been getting sme hefty paydays lately.
Calvin Ridley signed with the Titans for $23 million per year earlier this offseason and DeVonta Smith just signed an extension with the Eagles that is worth $25 million per year.
But the 49ers might not be able to afford him. Spotrac currently has them projected to be $30 million over the salary cap without him or the team’s 2024 draft picks.