BRANDON AIYUK ALREADY STARTING STEELERS LOCKER ROOM DRAMA WITH GEORGE PICKENS
As of now, leading NFL wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk remains with the San Francisco 49ers.
Amid stalled contract negotiations with the Bay Area team, Aiyuk mentioned last week that he would most likely be wearing a Niners uniform by the start of the 2024 season.
Aiyuk did mention that there were other possibilities, namely with the Washington Commanders and the Pittsburgh Steelers.
"But if not a Niners uniform, probably a Washington Commander uniform," Aiyuk said of the uniform he expects to wear during the upcoming season. "If not a Washington Commanders uniform, then probably a Steelers uniform."
If Aiyuk does end up in a Steelers uniform, it's believed that his top dog mentality will clash with Pittsburgh's wide receiver room, especially with one receiver in particular.
Brandon Aiyuk and George Pickens expected to battle for top spot if Aiyuk joins Steelers
On the 49ers, Aiyuk already has quite a bit of competition for targets, even though he's been considered to be quarterback Brock Purdy's favorite receiver. Deebo Samuel is a versatile wideout, and the 49ers drafted rookie wideout Ricky Pearsall, who's quickly built chemistry with Purdy in camp.
But if Aiyuk does join the Steelers, he'd be the most experienced wide receiver on the team. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writer Brian Batko joined 93.7 The Fan to discuss the possibility of Aiyuk joining the Steelers and how that would affect fellow wide receiver George Pickens.
"Aiyuk is probably thinking, 'I'm a lot more accomplished I've had a lot more success in the league so far than this guy," Batko said. "I'd come in as top dog right away, probably get paid, and have a nice little tenure here."
Comparing the past two seasons for the two receivers, Aiyuk comes out ahead of Pickens. The 49ers wideout recorded 153 passes on 219 targets for 2357 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns. In the same timespan, Pickens logged 115 passes on 190 targets for 1941 receiving yards and nine touchdowns.
Of course, Aiyuk and Pickens are on two different teams with different offenses, and Purdy is an improvement over former Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett. Yet the 49ers were actually 32nd in the NFL in terms of pass attempts last season, although they ranked high in terms of yards (4th) and touchdowns (2nd). The 49ers tended to be more productive on their plays, averaging 13.6 yards per reception compared to 10.6 yards for the Steelers.
Aiyuk has made it clear that he wants to be on a team where his talents are valued, and it's possible that the Steelers could be the eventual answer. But wherever Aiyuk goes, it's believed that he will let his NFL resume do the talking, which should put him high on the depth chart — no matter who else is in the locker room.
This article was originally published on fansided.com as Brandon Aiyuk already starting Steelers locker room drama with George Pickens.
2024-07-02T14:37:14Z dg43tfdfdgfd