The Brandon Aiyuk trade saga has taken over the NFL.
As preseason games ramp up, talk of Aiyuk’s availability in the trade market has given new life to the offseason rumor mill that typically shuts down at some point after the draft. An All-Pro being available in mid-August is almost unheard of.
That’s where things stand with the San Francisco 49ers and Aiyuk as contract negotiations haven’t borne any fruit. However, reports are now surfacing that contract talks have been rekindled.
While the Pittsburgh Steelers are the team that seems most likely to acquire the 49ers’ star receiver, the Cleveland Browns were also involved in those trade talks.
NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco first reported the Browns and New England Patriots both had frameworks in place for an Aiyuk trade. Completion of either one would be contingent on Aiyuk agreeing to sign a long-term contract with that club.
It doesn’t appear either team will ultimately land Aiyuk. However, there remains a question about what those deals might have looked like. Maiocco had an answer in a piece he published Friday.
Amid a deep dive on the Aiyuk situation, Maiocco included this nugget:
The 49ers worked out a deal with the Browns in which they would acquire veteran receiver Amari Cooper, as well as second- and fifth-round draft picks for Aiyuk, sources told NBC Sports Bay Area.
It’s nigh impossible to trade an All-Pro in August and come out as a winner. This package wouldn’t have made the 49ers better in 2024.
However, it would have landed them another very good receiver. That wasn’t on the table with the Patriots or Steelers just by virtue of their rosters. Adding Cooper and a second-round pick next year would have softened the blow, but the 49ers still would’ve come out as losers in the deal.
The good news for San Francisco is Aiyuk apparently didn’t want to play for the Browns. Thus, no trade materialized despite the framework being in place.
