Apparently the 49ers made the Steelers an offer, which they ultimately turned down. Pittsburgh wanted to acquire 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel via trade, but was unwilling to meet San Francisco’s asking price, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
It’s not yet clear what the 49ers wanted in exchange for Samuel, but the Steelers apparently balked at the asking price. The Steelers have made no secret of their desire to acquire a veteran, which makes their decision not to jump at the chance to acquire Samuel interesting.
It was reported Thursday that the 49ers were considering trading Samuel or fellow forward Brandon Aiyuk. Although Samuel’s name hasn’t come up in prior trade speculation, Aiyuk’s name has been mentioned for weeks. This stems from Aiyuk’s desire to secure a new long-term contract. He is currently scheduled to play under his fifth-year option which would pay him $14.1 million for the 2024 season.
A former first-round pick, Aiyuk played like an elite receiver last season. He caught 75 passes for a career-high 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns during the regular season. Aiyuk caught nine more passes for 149 yards and a score in the playoffs. His stunning 51-yard catch in the NFC Championship Game helped lead San Francisco’s victory over the Lions.
Samuel, 28, is in the middle of a three-year, $71.55 million extension he signed in 2022. When healthy, Samuel presents major challenges to a defense because of its versatility. In 2021, he led the NFL with an average of 18.2 yards per catch in addition to rushing for eight touchdowns.
Last season, Samuel caught seven touchdowns and scored five more in 15 regular season games. He caught eight of nine targets in the 49ers’ NFC title game victory over Detroit before being limited to just three catches in Super Bowl LVIII.
