Brandon Aiyuk Landing Spots: Steelers Among Three Potential Fits

The Brandon Aiyuk trade speculation simply won’t stop.

Though that’s in large part because of the San Francisco 49ers wide receiver himself.

Aiyuk fueled the chatter with a recent post indicating he’s been watching Washington Commanders film. That took place after he posted a video indicating the 49ers don’t want him back.

Aiyuk, who is set to play on his fifth-year option, might not be long for the Bay Area. And if the Niners aren’t able to come to terms, despite the fact they have said they want to keep the star route-runner, there’s no doubt a handful of teams would line up trade offers.

With that said, here are three teams that could make a trade for Aiyuk:

Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers traded Diontae Johnson to the Carolina Panthers this offseason and could use another wideout to pair with George Pickens. Aiyuk surely would benefit either Russell Wilson or Justin Fields, whichever quarterback is behind center for the Steelers. And in the case of Fields, the addition of Aiyuk could help the Steelers determine whether or not they have their long-term signal-caller. Pro Football Focus recently labeled a trade for Aiyuk as the move the Steelers “need to make” before training camp while NFL writer Marcus Mosher referred to Pittsburgh as the “most likely” to land Aiyuk if he’s traded.

New England Patriots
While the Patriots added Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker in the NFL draft and signed veteran K.J. Osborn in free agency, they still lack a game-changing wideout. Adding a player like Aiyuk would fill that WR1 void and also benefit the development of rookie quarterback Drake Maye, which should be the main priority. New England reportedly tried to trade for Aiyuk during the draft. And the Patriots, who retained many of their own players this offseason, rank atop the league in cap space, per Over The Cap.

Washington Commanders
If Aiyuk were to choose his next landing spot, it’s fair to assume he would pick Washington. Aiyuk has been transparent about his admiration and connection with rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, who he played with at Arizona State. The new-look Commanders have a solid receiver room with Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson, but adding Aiyuk could benefit the offense and further ignite the fanbase. And Washington sits second in cap space behind only New England.