Per David Lombardi, the 49ers wanted WR George Pickens from the Steelers in a potential trade for WR Brandon Aiyuk during the 2024 offseason.
Lombardi mentions that Pittsburgh wasn’t willing to move Pickens at the time, and Aiyuk’s contract was already finalized when Pickens was moved to Dallas in May 2025.
Pickens, 24, was a preseason All-American second-team selection in 2021 and a second-team preseason All-SEC at Georgia. The Steelers used the No. 52 overall pick on him in the 2022 NFL Draft.
He’s in the final year of a four-year $6,752,177 rookie contract that included a $2,090,674 signing bonus when he was traded to the Cowboys after the draft for a future third-round pick.
In 2025, Pickens has appeared in 12 games and caught 73 passes for 1,142 yards receiving and eight touchdowns.
Aiyuk, 27, was a one-year starter at Arizona State and earned first-team All-Pac 12 in his final season. The 49ers traded up with the Vikings to select him with the No. 25 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.
He signed a four-year, $12,531,342 rookie contract that included a $6,673,703 signing bonus. The 49ers picked up his fifth-year option last year that cost them $14,124,000 fully guaranteed for the 2024 season.
Aiyuk officially agreed to a four-year, $120 million extension that includes $76 million guaranteed after a lengthy period in which he was nearly traded to the Steelers.
In 2024, Aiyuk appeared in seven games for the 49ers and caught 23 passes for 351 yards receiving and no touchdowns.
We’ll have more on the 49ers and Aiyuk as the news is available.
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