Could the Pittsburgh Steelers add this dynamic wide receiver?
The Pittsburgh Steelers definitely need help at wide receiver. Yes, they swung a trade to acquire D.K. Metcalf during the offseason, but they also jettisoned George Pickens, severely limiting their depth at the position.
The Steelers opted not to bring in a pass-catcher at the trade deadline, much to the chagrin of the fanbase. So as far as this season is concerned, Pittsburgh's receiving corps is what it is.
But you can bet that the Steelers will almost certainly try to add another receiver in the offseason, and Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox has identified a very intriguing target for them: San Francisco 49ers star Brandon Aiyuk.
Aiyuk and the 49ers are reportedly headed toward a split, even after the 27-year-old signed an extension with them last year. Aiyuk has expressed interest in joining Pittsburgh in the past, so Knox feels it is a natural fit ... even if the Steelers' quarterback situation will be up in the air for 2026.
San Francisco 49ers receiver Brandon Aiyuk. Credit: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images."While no one loves a quarterback mystery, the Steelers' QB situation wasn't exactly settled back when Aiyuk was interested," Knox wrote. "[Justin] Fields and Russell Wilson were battling for the job during the 2024 offseason. Whatever drew Aiyuk to Pittsburgh two summers ago — quite possibly head coach Mike Tomlin and the franchise's history of stability — is still there."
Aiyuk was originally selected by San Francisco with the 25th overall pick of the 2020 NFL Draft. He posted back-to-back 1,000-yard campaigns for the Niners in 2022 and 2023, topping out at 1,342 yards during the latter season.
The Arizona State product inked a four-year, $120 million pact with the 49ers heading into 2024, but seven games into the season, Aiyuk tore his ACL and has been sidelined ever since.
Aiyuk has failed to attend meetings and has also not participated in other team activities for the last several months in the Bay, which has caused a rift between him and the 49ers.
Considering that Aiyuk really hasn't been a productive weapon in two years, you do have to wonder just how much the Steelers would be willing to pay for him if he does, in fact, hit the open market. But if they are able to nab him on an incentive-laden deal, it certainly wouldn't hurt to add him and put him alongside of Metcalf.
During the time he was on the field in 2024, Aiyuk logged 25 catches for 374 yards.