Brandon Aiyuk's situation with the San Francisco 49ers is awkward. He is obviously a valuable piece, but the 49ers didn't initially seem to pay what the player thinks he is worth. Now, latest reports indicate he would prefer to play for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The 49ers are already willing to trade the wide receiver, but they need immediate impact pieces. As the trade wasn't finalized before this year's draft, moving Aiyuk only for picks now isn't aligned with the 49ers' roster-building timeline. San Francisco wants a wide receiver as part of the package, and the Steelers don't have much to offer — they wouldn't trade George Pickens, and the other pieces are not as appealing.
And according to a report from Brian Peacock, host of the Locked on 49ers podcast, that could create a scenario for a three-team trade — which is much more common in the NBA world than it is in the NFL.
In this case, the Steelers would send a pick (or picks) to another team, who would send a wide receiver to the 49ers. And Aiyuk would end up in Pittsburgh, just like he wants to.
Now enter the Green Bay Packers.
Realistic option
The Packers don't have a clear wide receiver 1, but in this case it would work in their favor. The depth is huge , and it could create a scenario where Green Bay would be comfortable moving a player like Bo Melton for a mid to late-round pick.
Let's say the Steelers agree to pay second- and fourth-round picks for Aiyuk. The fourth would be moved to the Packers, and Green Bay would send Bo Melton to the 49ers.
It wouldn't be the ideal return package for San Francisco, but a second-rounder and a promising receiver isn't a bad deal either.
Melton didn't have volume last year because he started the season on the practice squad, but when he entered the lineup, he was pretty effective — including an 105-yard game against the Minnesota Vikings in week 17 and a touchdown exactly against the 49ers in the divisional round.
In San Francisco, Melton would have a real shot at being the WR3 in 2024, behind Deebo Samuel and Jauan Jennings.
For the Packers, it would mean getting an extra fourth-rounder for a player who's a wide receiver 5 and for whom they didn't pay anything to acquire.
High-end option
Bo Melton is a good NFL player, but the 49ers could argue that he wouldn't move the needle for a team losing Brandon Aiyuk. In this case, there's a less likely scenario in which the Packers would accept to give up Christian Watson as part of a deal.
That's not an easy decision, because Watson still has two cheap years in his contract. This and his extremely high ceiling make him a valuable trade piece. It wouldn't make any sense for Green Bay to move him for less than a first-round pick, especially to a conference rival.
If the Steelers are willing to send a first-rounder for Aiyuk and the 49ers are ok with immediately moving that pick for Watson, perhaps the Packers would be tempted to make it happen.
Green Bay would still have Romeo Doubs, Jayden Reed, Dontayvion Wicks, and Bo Melton, plus an extra valuable pick in 2025 — when the draft is in Green Bay. But at the same time, they give the 49ers a talented piece that could add an extra element to Kyle Shanahan's offense , and it could come back to bite them in the NFC playoffs.
At the same time, general manager Brian Gutekunst has already executed trades with rivals. The deal to move up for Christian Watson, by the way, was a draft day trade with the Minnesota Vikings. If he feels like it's a good move for the Packers, he won't be afraid to execute it.
Trades are much harder to make in the NFL than they are in the NBA, and that's why you simply don't see three-team deals. There are too many moving parts, and they are difficult to pull off. But that's a unique opportunity for all parties involved, and it seems like a realistic scenario after all.
Related: Film Room: Analyst says the Packers have an embarrassment of riches at WR
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