The Pittsburgh Steelers pushed their chips into the middle of the table to upgrade the quarterback position amid the AFC North arms race this offseason, and now have the chance to add a game-altering weapon to Russell Wilson and Justin Fields‘ supporting cast.
While George Pickens provides some explosiveness, averaging a whopping 18.1 yards per reception last season, and Van Jefferson provides some veteran stability, it is easy to pinpoint receiver as the next position that general manager Omar Khan and the Steelers could aim to upgrade this summer.
Given that Brandon Aiyuk has been holding out from the San Francisco 49ers’ offseason program, the 26-year-old could be a prime trade target for Pittsburgh in the coming months.
There’s little question that Aiyuk’s skill set would make him a perfect fit for Wilson and Fields’ supporting cast, as well as new coordinator Arthur Smith’s offense.
Last season, Aiyuk caught 75 passes for a career-high 1,342 yards with seven touchdowns, while averaging an explosive 17.9 yards per carry.
Aiyuk would make an ideal complement opposite Pickens, especially since 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy posted a nearly perfect 126.8 passer rating when targeting Aiyuk, according to Pro Football Focus, while the speedster averaged 4.9 yards after the catch per reception.
Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay put together a list of potential Aiyuk trades that could happen before the 2024 NFL season kicks off, including this blockbuster that would send the star wide receiver eastward to Western Pennsylvania:
San Francisco 49ers receive: 2025 first-round pick, TE Darnell Washington
Pittsburgh Steelers receive: WR Brandon Aiyuk
“Adding Aiyuk into the mix would give Pittsburgh one of the most devastating receiving corps in football,” Kay writes for B/R. “The wideout has thrived in the same offense as another top-tier talent in Deebo Samuel during their time together in San Francisco and should have no problem continuing to dominate alongside Pickens.
“A first-round pick should get the 49ers’ brass listening, while adding in Darnell Washington—the massive tight end who Pittsburgh brought in with the No. 93 overall pick last year—could sweeten the pot enough to get a deal done. Washington’s rookie stats may not jump off the page, but the raw 6’7″, 264-pounder could flourish in head coach Kyle Shanahan’s creative San Francisco offense. The 22-year-old would immediately slot in as a capable blocking tight end with the upside to replace George Kittle as a top receiving threat down the line.”
If the Steelers would be able to pry Aiyuk away for a first-round pick and Washington, Khan and the Steelers would likely make that trade quicker than the time it takes to order a famous Primanti Brothers sandwich.
However, it would remain to be seen whether the 49ers would view Washington as the type of player that they’d covet in an Aiyuk trade, given All-Pro George Kittle’s presence in the offense.
Nevertheless, this is the type of bold move that the Steelers could make to potentially vault closer to the top of the AFC hierarchy that is loaded with premier offenses and legitimate Super Bowl contenders.
Matt Lombardo is a seasoned NFL reporter, with over 12 years of experience covering the league.
In addition to his work at Gridiron Heroics, Lombardo covers the NFL for Heavy.com, is an on air sports contributor for FOX29 Philadelphia, and writes an NFL Substack "Between The Hashmarks."
Lombardo is the former Senior NFL Insider of FanBuzz, and prior to taking that role was a national NFL reporter at FanSided where he hosted a weekly podcast "The Matt Lombardo Show."
A former beat reporter for NJ Advance Media (Parent company of NJ.com and the Newark Star Ledger), Lombardo covered the Philadelphia Eagles from 2011 through the 2017 season before moving to cover the New York Giants for the Star Ledger for two seasons from 2018 through 2020.
During his career to date, Lombardo has covered five Super Bowls, four NFL Drafts, multiple NFL Combines, and has had his work frequently featured in publications such as Pro Football Talk, CBS Sports, and more.
In addition to his journalism work, Lombardo is a strong on air presence and is a former sports talk radio host on 97.5 FM The Fanatic, Philadelphia's first FM Sports Station and the radio home of the Philadelphia 76ers and Philadelphia Flyers.