While the door has not slammed shut on Brandon Aiyuk remaining with the 49ers, all of the focus right now is on completing a trade of the wide receiver.
On Tuesday, the New England Patriots removed themselves from the picture, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported, citing sources. Aiyuk showed no interest in accepting New England’s contract terms to finalize the deal.
The 49ers had trade agreements in place with the Patriots and Cleveland Browns, a league source told NBC Sports Bay Area on Monday.
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The 49ers and Pittsburgh Steelers reportedly resuscitated trade discussions Tuesday after the Steelers “effectively” dropped out of the picture Monday. Aiyuk made it clear during the offseason that Pittsburgh was among his preferred destinations in a trade.
The 49ers gave Aiyuk’s camp permission to negotiate with those teams. And he already knows what they’re offering.
Aiyuk did not show much interest in joining the Browns or the Patriots. The Browns remain in play ... for now.
But if the 49ers and Steelers work out an agreement on their end, it would not be a surprise if he chose to accept a lesser contract proposal to leave San Francisco for Pittsburgh.
San Francisco 49ers
Coach Kyle Shanahan stated the obvious Tuesday when asked if there is a way for the 49ers to trade Aiyuk and be an improved team for the upcoming 2024 NFL season.
“Brandon is a great player,” he said, “so it’s real hard to be better when you lose a great player.”
While the exact terms of any potential trade are not known, here is the level of compensation the 49ers could be expected to receive in return for Aiyuk:
Cleveland Browns
The 49ers and Browns already have agreed to a trade, which hinges on Aiyuk accepting Cleveland’s contract proposal.
In such a trade scenario, the 49ers could acquire Amari Cooper, a 30-year-old veteran who caught 72 passes for 1,250 yards and five touchdowns last season.
The Browns had the most unsettled quarterback situation in the NFL last season with Deshaun Watson, Joe Flacco, Dorian Thompson-Robinson and P.J. Walker. Each QB attempted more than 100 passes, so Cooper’s stat line looks even more impressive in that context.
Cooper is entering the final year of his contract, so the 49ers could decide at the end of the season if they wish to pursue an extension at that time.
The 49ers likely would pay a portion of Aiyuk’s contract to account for nearly $19 million the Browns paid Cooper in the offseason to create cap space. That bonus money enabled Cleveland to reduce his base salary to $1.21 million this season.
In addition to Cooper providing the 49ers with a player who can step in and make an immediate impact, the 49ers also would be expected to receive a second-round pick and, potentially, another pick or two later in the draft.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Unlike the Browns and Patriots, the Steelers do not have an obvious player to include in a trade to acquire Aiyuk.
Wide receiver George Pickens enters his third NFL season, and caught 63 passes for 1,140 yards and five touchdowns in 2023. So, would the Steelers part ways with him in order to pay big money to Aiyuk? That’s questionable.
Pickens was a second-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. He undoubtedly will seek a new contract after the upcoming season when the sides are allowed to renegotiate his rookie contract for the first time.
If no player is involved, the 49ers could seek two second-day picks. Let’s say the 49ers acquire second- and third-round selections from Pittsburgh, along with another pick in the 2026 draft.
Then, if the 49ers still felt it was necessary to acquire a veteran receiver, they would have the option of using one of those draft picks from the Steelers and, perhaps, one of their own on the third day to make a trade with another team for a proven wide receiver.
But there are too many unknowns in such a scenario, so the 49ers and Steelers might have to be creative to craft a trade that works for both teams.
And if the 49ers and Steelers agree to a deal, it appears plausible Aiyuk will take the next step to make it official.
New England Patriots
The Patriots reportedly no longer are involved, but they were serious contenders for a while.
They were prepared to offer the largest deal of the teams that pursued Aiyuk, and two sources told NBC Sports Bay Area that New England’s proposal topped $30 million per year.
Another source confirmed that former 49ers wide receiver Kendrick Bourne would have been part of the trade.
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