Is it just wishful thinking at this point or could the Pittsburgh Steelers fanbase really speak a trade for Brandon Aiuyk into existence? Every time it feels like a trade for the San Francisco 49ers star wide receiver is dead, they pull us back in. This time it is Aiyuk’s trainer and former NFL wide receiver TJ Houshmandzadeh. He was on 95.7 The Fan and talked about the impasse Aiyuk and the Niners are at.
“At one point, he thought he may sign,” Houshmandzadeh said. “So it was like, ‘I’m not gonna come out because I might have to go when I sign.’ And so that optimistic outlook has turned into a pessimistic outlook now. Like, damn, at one point he thought, ‘Hey, I might be leaving soon.’ So now, it’s like, ‘I have no idea.'”
After trading away Diontae Johnson during free agency, wide receiver immediately became a top priority. Pittsburgh signed a few veterans including Van Jefferson and drafted Roman Wilson but neither guy could give the Steelers what Aiyuk could. The Steelers have plenty of cap space to pay Aiyuk and there’s no denying they have woefully underspent on offense historically.