Could 49ers revisit Brandon Aiyuk trade with Steelers?
· Yahoo Sports
The San Francisco 49ers are no strangers to blockbuster trades, and Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox has an idea for one that would solve the team's receiver depth without giving up many assets.
In a hypothetical three-team scenario, the 49ers would ship disgruntled receiver Brandon Aiyuk to the Pittsburgh Steelers and backup quarterback Mac Jones to the New York Jets for Steelers receiver DK Metcalf. The Steelers also receive a 2027 third-round pick from the Jets as part of the arrangement.
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The Jones piece makes sense on the surface. The 49ers will likely lose Jones in free agency, so trading him before the 2027 offseason for something is a tremendous return on investment from a savvy 2025 offseason acquisition. San Francisco reportedly put Jones on the trade block earlier this offseason, but the team wanted a huge return for the backup.
While the 49ers are seemingly content with keeping Jones around as a great depth piece behind Brock Purdy, the chance to add a dynamic offensive playmaker like Metcalf would be too much to pass up for the price of Jones and a checked-out Aiyuk.
The 6-foot-4, 229-pound receiver posted 59 receptions for 850 yards and six touchdowns in his first season with the Steelers after being traded from Seattle in 2025. His $150 million extension, signed when Pittsburgh acquired him, would be included in the deal, but the 49ers can afford to absorb it.
Adding Metcalf gives Purdy a clear No. 2 target alongside Mike Evans, and it gives the 49ers a clear future at the position with the younger Ricky Pearsall and 2026 second-round rookie De'Zhaun Stribling. Kyle Shanahan's offense would immediately become one of the best units in the NFL with Christian McCaffrey and George Kittle already on the roster.
This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: Could 49ers revisit Brandon Aiyuk trade with Steelers?