The Brandon Aiyuk trade saga is over. On the evening of August 29, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported that the star receiver will be staying in San Francisco after signing a lucrative four-year, $120 million extension with the 49ers. Meanwhile, many Pittsburgh Steelers fans felt like their team's chances this year just went down the drain.
Though we all wanted to see the Aiyuk drama end, many hoped that it would be with an uber-talented receiver joining forces with George Pickens in Pittsburgh. The Steelers need help at the position, and Aiyuk would have been an excellent option.
But let's look on the bright side here. Executing a trade for a top-10 NFL receiver wouldn't have come without significant cost to the team's future. Aiyuk would have made the Steelers' roster better, but here are four reasons why missing out on a trade is a blessing in disguise.
Steelers get to keep their 2025 draft capital
This is a big one, though everyone seems to brush off draft capital like it's of little importance. In addition to turning around and making Brandon Aiyuk one of the richest non-quarterbacks in the league, the Steelers would have been forced to part with excellent draft capital to make this work.
The Steelers were willing to part with a second-round pick and a third-round pick. Considering how well this team has drafted under the direction of front office heads Omar Khan and Andy Weidl, those should be two really good, young players who would be under cheap four-year rookie contracts.
In 2023, the Steelers landed DL Keeanu Benton and TE Darnell Washington with these two picks (while taking Nick Herbig in the fourth round). In the 2024 draft, C Zach Frazier was a second-rounder while WR Roman Wilson and LB Payton Wilson were third-round picks.
All of these players aren't guaranteed to show immediate impacts on the field, but good teams build their rosters through the draft, and fans need to trust the process.
Steelers have the cap space to retain their own players
After you get past stomaching the departure of Pittsburgh's Day 2 capital in the 2025 NFL Draft, then comes the contract. The Steelers wouldn't have traded for Aiyuk without the assurance of a long-term deal, and judging by the numbers, they just saved themselves a boatload of money.
Superstars are worth paying, but the money saved by not executing a deal for Aiyuk will go a long way. The Steelers have a plethora of players set to hit the free agent market in 2025, as Cam Heyward, James Daniels, Donte Jackson, Justin Fields, Russell Wilson, Elandon Roberts, Pat Freiermuth, Najee Harris, Jaylen Warren, and a handful of others need contracts.
Even though Pittsburgh is projected to be one of the top teams in terms of salary cap space in 2025, it may not be reasonable to retain all of its key players. Trading for Aiyuk not only would have cost the team elite draft capital, but it also would have meant several more starters would be gone during the 2025 free agency period.
Steelers can go after a top-notch free agent in 2025
If the Pittsburgh Steelers are really interested in swinging for the fences, there's a way they can do that without a trade while still hanging onto valuable draft picks. The 2025 free agent class is flooded with talent, and Omar Khan could spend big to get a superstar on the market.
At the wide receiver position, players like Tee Higgins, Stefon Diggs, Chris Godwin, and Amari Cooper are all expected to become free agents next year. The Steelers can throw money they would have spent on Aiyuk to land one of these receivers while pocketing their draft capital.
If they really wanted to hit a home run with their added cap space in free agency, the Steelers can make a desperation move to try to bring a star quarterback like Dak Prescott to Pittsburgh -- a move that would certainly be off the table had the Steelers locked themselves into a costly Brandon Aiyuk contract.
Steelers won't have wide receiver drama between Brandon Aiyuk and George Pickens
Something that crossed my mind from the beginning of the Aiyuk trade talks with the Steelers early in the offseason is how George Pickens would handle the situation. Pittsburgh's top wide receiver would be forced to take a step back and play second fiddle to the most established Aiyuk.
It's easy to see how this could disgruntle a player like Pickens, who already has trouble keeping his emotions in check. In addition, when it comes time for Pickens to receive a new deal (which could be as early as next offseason) the Steelers may not be able to stomach two lucrative wide receiver contracts and dish out roughly $60 million per year to a pair of players at the position.
For the betterment of George Pickens and the chances of keeping him happy and around long-term, it's best if a player like Brandon Aiyuk isn't in the mix to force him to take a backseat.