As we all wait for a resolution to the Brandon Aiyuk trade drama, during this week’s “Madden Monday” podcast, Mark Madden of TribLive and 105.9 The X is starting to wonder if maybe the Pittsburgh Steelers just got played.
After all, if a trade was going to happen for the disgruntled San Francisco wide receiver, wouldn’t it have happened by now?
“I think so,” Madden said. “I think it’s less than 50/50 that it happens now. The fact that the Niners and Aiyuk are reportedly talking contract again tells me that this was maybe a ploy by the Niners all along to gain leverage to show Aiyuk, ‘There isn’t out there (contractually) what you hoped.’”
Aiyuk is currently slated to make $14.1 million on his fifth-year option, but he wants an extension beyond that. The Steelers have reportedly met those terms, but the issue is that the 49ers don’t just want draft picks back as compensation. They want at least one NFL-caliber player.
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Some of the names that San Francisco has allegedly asked about include Minkah Fitzpatrick, Pat Freiermuth and George Pickens, along with perhaps a second and/or third-round selection. Madden wouldn’t make such a trade for Aiyuk, but he thinks some of the other rumored names — James Daniels, Alex Highsmith, Dan Moore Jr. and Nick Herbig — are more reasonable compensation.
“I’d trade every one of those persons you mentioned as part of the deal for Aiyuk,” Madden said of those last four names. “I’d give a second and a third and one of those guys for Aiyuk.”
Madden doubts the Steelers feel the same way.
“This is typical of the Steelers when it comes to impactful deals,” Madden continued. “They seek reasons to not make them.”
If they don’t acquire Aiyuk, Madden thinks the Steelers will be leaving themselves too thin at the receiver position.
“The minute the Steelers get behind, the other team’s pass coverage will just collapse on Pickens and render him useless. That’s my main worry about their passing game. It’s about their inability to score points quickly,” Madden added. “Whenever they get down by two scores in the second quarter or later, they’re going to lose 95% of the time because they can’t score quickly. They can’t catch up. Long drives in today’s NFL lend themselves to more of an opportunity to make mistakes like fumbles and interceptions. So I just think that the receiving corps as constructed is awful and doesn’t lend itself to winning football.”
Also, in the podcast, Madden and I discuss the Steelers’ preseason debut against the Texans, Justin Fields’ first game at Acrisure Stadium, the state of Sidney Crosby’s contract negotiations and the fast-fading Pirates.
