Pittsburgh Steelers came ‘closest’ to acquiring an All-Pro receiver during recent trade negotiations

After finishing with the fifth-fewest points in the NFL, the Pittsburgh Steelers completely overhauled their quarterback room. They added a former Super Bowl winner in Russell Wilson, and another former first-round pick with some untapped potential in Justin Fields.

Pittsburgh also hired a new offensive coordinator, tabbing former head coach Arthur Smith as their new play-caller. When the draft came along, the Steelers spent their top two picks on offensive linemen, both of whom are now starters.

No matter how you slice it, the Steelers’ offense should be improved in 2024. Yet, imagine if Pittsburgh could have added an All-Pro receiver to pair with George Pickens too?

Related: NFL QB Rankings 2024: From Patrick Mahomes to Gardner Minshew

Pittsburgh Steelers came ‘closest’ to Brandon Aiyuk trade

One player the Pittsburgh Steelers targeted at various points throughout the offseason is San Francisco 49ers receiver Brandon Aiyuk. While Aiyuk recently signed a four-year, $120 million extension to make him one of the NFL’s highest-paid receivers , before trade discussions ceased, the Steelers were very much in the mix to land the second-team All-Pro.

According to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, the Steelers actually “came closest” to executing an Aiyuk trade.

“The Steelers came closest to acquiring Aiyuk. They refused to give up a current player, but were willing to part with second- and third-round picks. The interesting thing is the money wasn’t as good with the Steelers, who didn’t want to go past what T.J. Watt makes ($28 million APY) and as such offered Aiyuk $27.7 million APY. The Niners made calls to about a dozen teams to see if they could flip the third-rounder somewhere else to land a veteran receiver to replace Aiyuk in the lineup.”

SI’s Albert Breer on Steelers/Brandon Aiyuk

By not being willing to include any current players in any Aiyuk trade offer, it shows that the Steelers love the competitors they have on their roster. It’s also fascinating that the Steelers weren’t offering as much money as other teams trying to trade for Aiyuk. One team — the Patriots went as far as offering a contract worth $32M per season to Aiyuk. But not the Steelers.

Ultimately, the Steelers came up short in their pursuit of Aiyuk, but then again, so did everyone else. In turn, it’s hard to know just how available he was before returning to San Francisco after an offseason full of dramatic moments.

Related: See where the Pittsburgh Steelers offense ranks in 2024

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