OT: The Pittsburgher Thread: Sneaking up onto training camp

[T1K]

What is Rapoport responding like that? Is it a "that's not what I'm hearing" tweet or a "keep an eye out on this" tweet?

Either way, the fake sources definitely seem to be wrong but it seems inarguable that Aiyuk is more likely to be traded than not.

His ego is hurt because he got this scoop wrong, as he does with all steelers stuff.

 

[Peat]

Apparently there was this earlier today too

https://x.com/i/web/status/1820488857571545554

Looks a lot like Aiyuk's camp thought this was a done deal earlier in the day and something went south.

 

[MrBrightside]

Doubling down.

 

[Empoleon8771]

Apparently there was this earlier today too

https://x.com/i/web/status/1820488857571545554

Looks a lot like Aiyuk's camp thought this was a done deal earlier in the day and something went south.

I think that ended up fake. It was an edited version of an IG post from a few months ago.

 

[Peat]

I think that ended up fake. It was an edited version of an IG post from a few months ago.

Oh jolly good then. Man, who thought constant information was a good idea

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

For me, assuming this isn't agent stuff to drum up interest, this all feels like the 49ers have had the sort of talks where they feel like they could make a trade they'd okay with and are seeing whose contract Aiyuk wants to sign.

Perhaps. Or there’s no return that outweighs 1 year of Aiyuk for them, a very legit SB contender.

 

[bigdaddyk88]

Perhaps. Or there’s no return that outweighs 1 year of Aiyuk for them, a very legit SB contender.

Unless of course Aiyuk pulls a bell or pulls his hamstring week 1

 

[End of Line]

Sources say that Aiyuk is waiting to take off but can’t due to turtles on the runway #AiyukWatch

 

[Peat]

Perhaps. Or there’s no return that outweighs 1 year of Aiyuk for them, a very legit SB contender.

I believed that was the case all summer but given the current media reports, the most logical answer I can find is teams are dangling those sort of returns in front of them.

 

[Coastal Kev]

Sources say that Aiyuk is waiting to take off but can’t due to turtles on the runway #AiyukWatch

 

[End of Line]

This whole ordeal reminds me of the Jagr Watch hysteria

 

[bambamcam4ever]

Aiyuk is a really good player, but not good enough to be worth giving up significant draft picks for when he wants a big contact next year. Especially for a team that is not a WR away from competing, at this for this upcoming season.

Aiyuk had a lot of his production on deep (15-20 yards) in routes last season, which are long developing routes that the 49ers were able to get him open on because of the threat of the run game and they had really good pass protection. Since the Steelers do not have the same, I don't think Aiyuk would put up the same numbers for the Steelers.

 

[T1K]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1820648828678381776

It’s over

I wonder what Courtland Sutton is up to

 

[WickedWrister]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1820648828678381776

It’s over

I wonder what Courtland Sutton is up to

Wonder what their ask was...

I feel like Khan has established a pretty solid track record in his short time as GM, at least when it comes to player evaluations and trades. Dude's not going to overpay so I have to assume they were asking for a lot.

 

[Empoleon8771]

My complete speculation is that the 49ers don't want to trade Aiyuk without getting a WR back, and the Steelers are obviously not trading Pickens for Aiyuk. If the Browns are willing to do Cooper and picks for Aiyuk, I really don't see anything the Steelers can offer that matches that. It's Pickens or nothing and I'd rather pick nothing in that case.

 

[Colonel Mustard]

Disgusting if he ends up on the browns

 

[bigdaddyk88]

My complete speculation is that the 49ers don't want to trade Aiyuk without getting a WR back, and the Steelers are obviously not trading Pickens for Aiyuk. If the Browns are willing to do Cooper and picks for Aiyuk, I really don't see anything the Steelers can offer that matches that. It's Pickens or nothing and I'd rather pick nothing in that case.

But cooper doesn’t help them long term he wants an new contact and is going to want at least 26 million

 

[T1K]

Wonder what their ask was...

I feel like Khan has established a pretty solid track record in his short time as GM, at least when it comes to player evaluations and trades. Dude's not going to overpay so I have to assume they were asking for a lot.

If Aiyuk had any interest in playing for the Browns, that Cooper+picks trade would’ve been accepted by now. It sounds like they’re gonna have to overpay him a lot to convince him to sign.

The more I’ve thought about it, I feel like this is a negotiation tactic by the 49ers telling Pittsburgh and Washington to up their offers.

 

[WickedWrister]

My complete speculation is that the 49ers don't want to trade Aiyuk without getting a WR back, and the Steelers are obviously not trading Pickens for Aiyuk. If the Browns are willing to do Cooper and picks for Aiyuk, I really don't see anything the Steelers can offer that matches that. It's Pickens or nothing and I'd rather pick nothing in that case.

latest tinfoil theory (rickey) is that the 49ers are trying to get Khan to raise their offer

If Aiyuk had any interest in playing for the Browns, that Cooper+picks trade would’ve been accepted by now. It sounds like they’re gonna have to overpay him a lot to convince him to sign.

The more I’ve thought about it, I feel like this is a negotiation tactic by the 49ers telling Pittsburgh and Washington to up their offers.

Yeah it would make some sense to use the NBCS 49ers guy Maiocco if you wanted to do this.

 

[Andy99]

Let him go elsewhere…hopefully not the Browns lol…Khan should not overpay
We’re not an Aiyuk away from contention…we still don’t have a top 10 QB on this roster lol…and our overpriced defense is old in every significant position except CB..

 

[xlm34]

Seems like a game of chicken right now. If they had a framework with the Browns and Patriots and Aiyuk wanted to play for them this would be done by now.

I just hope it’s not the Browns that he goes to.

 

[Factorial]

Let him go elsewhere…hopefully not the Browns lol…Khan should not overpay
We’re not an Aiyuk away from contention…we still don’t have a top 10 QB on this roster lol…and our overpriced defense is old in every significant position except CB..

You are too negative.

 

[Peat]

Apparently the Pats' offer hasn't changed. Maybe the 49ers are getting a bit tired of the situation and have lowered their price a tad. I'm still v. skeptical it would come down much more but it seems a tad more realistic as a possibility.

 

[bigdaddyk88]

Apparently the Pats' offer hasn't changed. Maybe the 49ers are getting a bit tired of the situation and have lowered their price a tad. I'm still v. skeptical it would come down much more but it seems a tad more realistic as a possibility.

New England offered 34 in this past draft that’s the best draft pick the 49ers will get offered and if they weren’t willing to pay 30 million a year they should have traded him then

 

[Buddy Bizarre]

I don’t think they would need to trade Highsmith - just picks should do it. They certainly don’t need to from a cap perspective.

If the 49ers were demanding him in a deal, then I’d say no.

This is what I heard:

*49ers prefer the trade terms of the Patriots and Browns compared to what Khan offered from the Steelers and think the Steelers can do better.

*They feed some info to their local version of Ed Bouchette to put out that the Steelers are "essentially" out of the running and that the 49ers are in agreement with the trade terms for both the Pats and Browns.

*49ers are forcing either the Steelers to up the ante to get back into the game, and/or forcing Aiyuk's camp to move forward with negotiations with the Pats or Browns to be able to execute the trade that gives them the most resources back.