It appears another breakthrough in Silicon Valley may be imminent – or incrementally closer anyway – if WR Brandon Aiyuk's contractual standoff with the San Francisco 49ers is actually nearing a resolution.
Aiyuk, who's been attending training camp but not practicing, might finally be getting the payday he coveted throughout the offseason. However, per longtime Niners beat writer Matt Maiocco, that could well mean a trade to the Cleveland Browns or Pittsburgh Steelers, San Francisco brass now allowing Aiyuk's representation to speak with select outside teams – a group that doesn't include the Commanders, that club the subject of intense speculation as an Aiyuk destination in recent months given his Arizona State ties and friendship with Washington rookie QB Jayden Daniels. (The New England Patriots had been in the picture, per multiple reports, but dropped out of the running on Tuesday night after Aiyuk did not show interest in joining the franchise.)
"You always want it to be (resolved), badly," 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said Tuesday. "But this stuff does take time. Every day I hope it gets resolved. But I have no timetable on it.
"(H)opefully it'll get resolved though sooner than later."
So what's the best outcome for Aiyuk based on recent developments? Let's rank them from worst to best:
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3. Cleveland Browns
Per Maiocco, the outside negotiations the 49ers have acceded to allow Aiyuk to accept or decline terms of an extension with another organization while San Francisco has already agreed to the framework of prospective deals – and, in this case, that means five-time Pro Bowl WR Amari Cooper would evidently be headed back to the Bay Area, which would be a pretty nice save for Shanahan and Niners GM John Lynch. As for Aiyuk? He gets his bag, sure. He also probably immediately steps into an offense where he becomes the primary option after being something akin to 2A – or was that TE George Kittle? or WR Deebo Samuel? – behind All-Pro RB Christian McCaffrey. Maybe, coming off a career year (75 catches for 1,342 yards and 7 TDs), Aiyuk truly blossoms into a superstar worthy of his potential windfall. Or maybe he struggles to adapt to an unmistakable WR1 role for an offense increasingly desperate for QB Deshaun Watson to live up to the guaranteed terms of what continues to loom as a historic boondoggle of a contract.
2. Pittsburgh Steelers
You won't find many players who don't want to work for HC Mike Tomlin, a college wide receiver at William & Mary who looks like he could be Aiyuk's father given their resemblance. But happenstance aside, the Steelers are always in playoff contention and also happen to need another frontline wideout – and Aiyuk would definitely be an upgrade from departed Diontae Johnson as a guy who could do more with a high volume of targets while deterring defenses from doubling explosive George Pickens on the other side. Per ESPN, Pittsburgh re-engaged the 49ers on Tuesday after seeming to be on the outside of the Aiyuk sweepstakes Monday. GM Omar Khan certainly has the salary cap cushion in future years to accommodate the kind of deal Aiyuk is seeking. However the ascending pass catcher would have to ask himself if he'll chafe in an offense that's about to re-emphasize the run game under new OC Arthur Smith and has one quarterback – John Rhys Plumlee – signed beyond this season ... and he's (understandably) unlikely to stick on a depth chart that includes veterans Russell Wilson, Justin Fields and Kyle Allen.
1. San Francisco 49ers
It's still pretty obviously the best situation for the reigning NFC champs and their best receiver. History shows Lynch tends to get deals done at the 11th hour but that he takes care of his best players. Aiyuk, owed $14.1 million in 2024 on the fifth-year option of his rookie deal, is most definitely one of them – and even if he had to wait until 2025 for his lottery money, remaining a component of an offense in which he's built substantial chemistry with QB Brock Purdy would almost certainly augment his bid for a contract approaching or exceeding the top of a wideout financial market that's established its best performers deserve $30 million-plus annually. And if Aiyuk really wants a ring to gild his legacy – and maybe add another premium to his value – there's almost no better place to be in 2024 than San Francisco.
“Brandon is a great player, so it's real hard to be better when you lose a great player," Shanahan added Tuesday as the team sifts through permutations.
"(W)e have to understand the situation we're in, what that looks like. And that does take time. So hopefully it'll all work out best for him and best for us in the long run.”
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Follow USA TODAY Sports' Nate Davis on X, formerly Twitter, @ByNateDavis.
