The Brandon Aiyuk situation got really loud this week, and then it got really quiet.
It got quiet after the leaks stopped, from Aiyuk’s camp and/or from the teams that wanted to get him but won’t and/or from the team he currently plays for.
We’ve made sense of the silence by boiling it down to two possibilities — a trade to the Steelers or a new deal with the 49ers above and beyond the $14.1 million he’s due to earn this year.
With multiple teams, on multiple occasions, offering Aiyuk more than the 49ers are willing to pay and willing to give the 49ers trade value for his rights, it seemed inevitable that the 49ers would conclude that they should perhaps pay him what other teams are willing to pay. Especially since the 49ers don’t have to trade anything to get him.
Lo and behold, NFL Media reports that the 49ers “have made a renewed effort in recent days to strike a long-term deal” with Aiyuk. Per the report, the situation remains fluid, and a trade remains possible.
The Steelers seem to be the top option, if there’s a trade. Per multiple reports, the Steelers aren’t offering current players in return. That makes it much harder for the 49ers to justify a deal, since they’d get nothing that would help them win this year.
And it makes it easier for the 49ers to decide to give Aiyuk more than they had planned to give him.
Until something happens, the hold-in continues. And it apparently has gotten under coach Mike Shanahan’s skin. Which apparently has caused this thing to move toward a point at which something seems to be destined to happen.
