Aiyuk

[Joel Buchsbaum]

This may be a moot point, BUT NO WAY to giving up draft capital ( and 2nd and 3rd ) and sign Aiyuk also give up an for an extra 28 million on our cap. He is a free agent next year, and we draft WRs very well.

That is way too much to give up.

[Northern_Blitz]

There's a 0% chance you make the trade without a contract.

The contract will not add $28M to our cap this year.

It will add
(1) the prorated amount of the signing bonus (take the SB and divide by the length of the contract or 5, whichever denominator is smaller).
(2) some small first year salary number. Maybe as low as the vet minimum.

Here's an example of what an Aiyuk contract might look like from Dave Bryan at the Depot (https://steelersdepot.com/2024/08/what-a-new-brandon-aiyuk-contract-might-look-like-if-steelers-trade-for-him/)

He thinks that the deal would probably end up hitting this year's cap for between $8MM to $10MM. Remember that this whole saga started when we restructured Highsmith right before the draft. That created between $7MM and $8MM in cap space this year (by kicking cap hit down the road).

If you want to understand how the cap works (which I think is really interesting because IMO it lets you see how teams make decisions), I think Bryan is a great guy to follow. I don't think there's anyone better talking about the Steelers cap in particular.

[Oviedo]

Supposedly the deal is done. 49ers just need to sign off

I love draft capital, but would any 2nd or 3rd rounder be as good as Aiyuk?

[NorthCoast]

Just not seeing much difference from a week ago. Steelers offer is the same, SF has yet to accept it.

[Joel Buchsbaum]

Supposedly the deal is done. 49ers just need to sign off

I love draft capital, but would any 2nd or 3rd rounder be as good as Aiyuk?

You're missing my point. There is no doubt that Aiyuk is a top 10 WR. The issue is he is worth all the cap space and a 2nd and 3rd round pick. Aiyuk was a player in a system with an elite offensive coach, with star players lining up as passing options at various depths.

[Flasteel]

Supposedly the deal is done. 49ers just need to sign off

I love draft capital, but would any 2nd or 3rd rounder be as good as Aiyuk?

I'm reading the same thing but I'll believe it when I see it.

It appears from following the drama that the Niners might be the team which bent the most in their demands. I don't get the vibe the Steelers were desperate to make this move happen, but San Fran definitely wants to put this behind them one way or the other.

It will be interesting to see if the Khan man strikes again and the team got a good deal, or if they indeed gave up something as significant as a second and third-round pick.

If the deal finally goes through, of course.

[trottierhop]

You're missing my point. There is no doubt that Aiyuk is a top 10 WR. The issue is he is worth all the cap space and a 2nd and 3rd round pick. Aiyuk was a player in a system with an elite offensive coach, with star players lining up as passing options at various depths.

I'm with you on this one. I really don't like giving up draft capital and in this offense he wouldn't get as many chances.

If he became the #1 WR Pickens would act up for sure. Plus I hate paying receivers almost $30 million.

[Oviedo]

As I have repeatedly mentioned...look at this in terms of a three year window. That is what we have until we start to lose our elite defensive players

The organization is doing exactly what many on this board have bitched about repeatedly. Forget the "9 to 10 wins" and go all in and get play off wins. Haven't we heard over and over about "Tomlin ball?' Haven't we constantly heard about not having an elite offense?

Well this is what you do to have an elite offense. The much worshipped Shanahan led 49ers gave up a second, third and fourth in one draft and a fifth in the next to get McCaffrey.

Can't have it both ways. You want elite talent, then you pay for it. With Aiyuk, you get a known versus second and third round unknowns.

[trottierhop]

If the Steelers sign Aiyuk to a big deal and Fields and Wilson don't work as viable solutions at QB then what?

We'll be severely hindered at signing a big name QB in free agency. It's a big gamble on our future. Especially since we will have to give up draft capital to acquire Aiyuk.

All we'll be doing is pissing off Pickens and mortgaging the future. Should have traded George when we had a chance.

["BuzzNuter"]

I'm trying to remember when we tried to get a top WR in the off season. It never happened before.

There aren't enough balls for Pickens and Aiyuk. Have they given up on George? I don't believe this is going to happen. Too much$ for a WR in a run offense. Not going to happen. It would be a dumb move.

[Steelwolf]

Don't have to worry about this guy 49ers seem to have made a push to keep him. I say good

[Buzz]

I think Aiyuk's first choice was always to stay with the Super-Bowl contending 49ers. He's been using the Steelers to try to get more $$$$$ from them.

[Joel Buchsbaum]

As I have repeatedly mentioned...look at this in terms of a three year window. That is what we have until we start to lose our elite defensive players

The organization is doing exactly what many on this board have bitched about repeatedly. Forget the "9 to 10 wins" and go all in and get play off wins. Haven't we heard over and over about "Tomlin ball?' Haven't we constantly heard about not having an elite offense?

Well this is what you do to have an elite offense. The much worshipped Shanahan led 49ers gave up a second, third and fourth in one draft and a fifth in the next to get McCaffrey.

Can't have it both ways. You want elite talent, then you pay for it. With Aiyuk, you get a known versus second and third round unknowns.

I like talent as in paying for your own proven players 2, and 3rd contracts, or as free agents. I do not like giving up high draft picks for receivers via trade. The Steelers can draft WR's Tomlin's diva lore is attracting BA.

To go all in we either draft a QB high or sign a top 10 type. That isn't happening, insaed we may be spending the draft capital and the cap space on a receiver.

[Northern_Blitz]

I like talent as in paying for your own proven players 2, and 3rd contracts, or as free agents. I do not like giving up high draft picks for receivers via trade. The Steelers can draft WR's Tomlin's diva lore is attracting BA.

To go all in we either draft a QB high or sign a top 10 type. That isn't happening, insaed we may be spending the draft capital and the cap space on a receiver.

I know that you like to dream about trading up big to draft a QB. I love the idea of getting a guy like that too.

But the chances of trading up into the top 3 from 16+ are pretty slim either way IMO. And a 2nd and 3rd just isn't going to get that done.

There are draft charts that say you can trade 15+47+79 for 1st OA.

But if we ever had the 1st overall pick and made that trade, I'd want the GM fired immediately.

IIRC, you like Walter Football. They say that 15, 46, 78 are only worth about 2/3 of 1 OA. And that the total value of the 15th pick in every round isn't worth the 1st overall. I think that's a more accurate valuation. But it still probably undersells the value of 1st overall. Especially in a draft where there's a very highly regarded QB available.

[NorthCoast]

I know that you like to dream about trading up big to draft a QB. I love the idea of getting a guy like that too.

But the chances of trading up into the top 3 from 16+ are pretty slim either way IMO. And a 2nd and 3rd just isn't going to get that done.

There are draft charts that say you can trade 15+47+79 for 1st OA.

But if we ever had the 1st overall pick and made that trade, I'd want the GM fired immediately.

IIRC, you like Walter Football. They say that 15, 46, 78 are only worth about 2/3 of 1 OA. And that the total value of the 15th pick in every round isn't worth the 1st overall. I think that's a more accurate valuation. But it still probably undersells the value of 1st overall. Especially in a draft where there's a very highly regarded QB available.

There have been 38 quarterbacks drafted in the first round since 2011, the year the NFL changed the collective bargaining agreement to set a wage scale for rookie deals, making it extremely affordable to draft a quarterback.

These 38 first round quarterbacks have made a total of 1,909 starts. Their record? 1034-1035-7

Not against trading up per se, but there needs to be some consideration for the risk. The success rate for 1st round QBs is less than 50%. Betting all that capital, and ending with a bust will send the team into a decade long trench to dig out from. This is because the team will likely hang on to a mediocre QB far too long in hopes of getting a return.