Aiyuk to the Steelers?

[SHOWTIME]

Seems to be a lot of buzz around the Steelers finalizing a trade for Aiyuk.

Though things remain fluid between the Brandon Aiyuk camp, the 49ers and their trade partners, the Steelers have been gaining traction as Aiyuk’s preferred destination, I’m told. Despite stronger offers from other teams, Pittsburgh has emerged as a real option. pic.twitter.com/UcFLbASwEx

— Cam Marino (@MarinoNFL) August 5, 2024

Sources: The Steelers are working hard on a trade for Brandon Aiyuk. And a deal could get done soon. 49ers seem motivated now to get something done. pic.twitter.com/HkPHUyRq8N

— Andrew Fillipponi (@ThePoniExpress) August 5, 2024

�� BREAKING��

The Pittsburgh #Steelers are reportedly in the final stages of negotiations to acquire wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk from the San Francisco #49ers.

The deal is expected to be finalized soon, as both teams appear highly motivated to reach an agreement.#NFL pic.twitter.com/nujTIW6uh5

— The Standard (@TheStandard412) August 5, 2024

[rfaulk34]

Originally Posted by Red Dawg

If the Bengals were smart and truly believe that Joe is a difference maker, they would trade Chase for a haul and use the high picks on DL and OL.

They'd never do it because of the relationship between Joe and Ja'Marr but they should have done it with Higgins. I love Higgins but he was the expendable one.

[rfaulk34]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

I think they’re smart and realize that Joe ISN’T a difference maker.

That’s why they’re hanging on to Higgins like grim death.

Dudes closer to Andy Dalton than Mahomes. Dalton built his rep acting as a JUGS machine for AJ Green. That’s what Burrow is gonna do as well.

That's a really dumb take.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by rfaulk34

That's a really dumb take.

Keep telling yourself that.

Through his age 27 season, Andy Dalton had been to 2 Pro Bowls and thrown for 14,750 yards and 99 TDs.

Through Burrows age 27 season Burrow has thrown for 14,000 yards and 93 TDs with a single Pro Bowl.

Through Mahomes age 27 season he'd thrown for 24,200 yards and 192 TDs. He'd made 5 Pro Bowls, 2 All Pro teams and won 2 Super Bowls (and Super Bowl MVPs).

Yes, Joe Burrow is far far FAR closer to Andy Dalton than he his Patrick Mahomes. The fact that you fellas keep trying to pretend otherwise is the real joke. Joe Burrow is barely playing the same sport as Mahomes.

[DJ's left nut]

Thought exercise:

In one hand you have Joe Burrow
In the other hand you have a coin with Andy Dalton on one side and Patrick Mahomes on the other. You get whichever guy it lands on.

You taking Burrow or are you flipping the coin?

Bengals fans are going to bend over backwards to convince themselves that they'd lock in Joe Burrow and be happy. They shouldn't because they'd be wrong. The 50/50 shot of getting Mahomes is worth the downside of Andy Dalton. He's just that much better than Burrow.

History won't remember Joe Burrow. At all. Less than it will Matthew Stafford; similar to how it remembers Carson Palmer. Maybe he stays healthy and has a Matt Ryan career.

Patrick Mahomes will be written into legend in this league. The gap between those two is simply immense.

[ThaVirus]

Originally Posted by staylor26

He's been their leading receivier the last 2 years, so no matter how many times you say this, it's not remotely true.

There's not a single WR1 on any team that is their "fourth option".

It is embarrassing that you would try to argue that he's behind Kittle too. That's just ****ing reeruned.

Ok, well, when you’re a DC in the NFL and you’re game planning for the 9ers, you can prioritize Aiyuk over Deebo and Kittle and see how well that works out for you.

I don’t think many teams would bother doing that. It’ll be CMC first, Deebo second, then Kittle, then Aiyuk because CMC, Deebo and Kittle have all demonstrated the ability to be game changers. Aiyuk can’t say the same.

Originally Posted by mr. tegu

Besides that being a huge outlier season for him, that’s literally exactly what they were. Over 50% of his 1400 receiving yards, 768, were YAC that season. His average depth of catch, 8.3, was LESS than his average YAC, 10.

In that same offense this past season Aiyuk had 1342 yards but only 382 YAC. His depth of catch was 12.8. A Quick Look at other top receivers guys shows similar percentages for YAC and depth of target on big seasons.

2023 was also a huge outlier for Aiyuk as well. His targets went down from the previous year and yet he went for almost 400 more yards. He averaged nearly 5 yards more per catch than he did the year before.

That still leaves nearly 700 yards gained from just routes alone on the year for Deebo in 2021 too. For reference, we never once got 700 total yards out of Sammy, MVS or Hardman in a single season.

I’m actually glad you brought up the RAC, though. This ****ing guy Deebo AVERAGES 10 yards of RAC per reception. Am I the only one who recognizes how absurd that is? He’s going to give you a 1st down on every catch just from RAC alone. That’s so nasty. You all are seriously underrating just how dangerous he is with the football in his hands. There are running backs out there, who actually catch the vast majority of their passes at or behind the LoS, who don’t average 10 yards of RAC per reception. And I did the research on this debate a few weeks back so don’t remember with 100% confidence but I believe I found that that 10 yards of RAC per reception was actually maintained over his entire career. That is nutty.

8.3 yards average depth of target is actually pretty decent, by the way. That’s about spot on the ADoT for Keenan Allen over the last decade or so, who is known as a route technician.

Comparing their ADoT is pointless to me precisely because they’re in the same offense. They occupy different roles. MVS had a further ADoT last season than Rashee Rice. That doesn’t necessarily mean that MVS is a better route runner or better WR overall than Rashee.

In fact, I’d argue that it makes sense that a team with their three best offensive weapons being a RB, WR/RB hybrid RAC monster, and a TE would have a traditional WR see many opportunities in the deep and intermediate sections of the field.

[Rausch]

Originally Posted by O.city

Deebo is a glorified RB that gets his yards around the LOS. He's a good player, but he's not really a guy you want at WR in a traditional offense.

Kinda like how we got Rice the ball last year. Only Rice can stay healthy...

[ThaVirus]

Originally Posted by O.city

Deebo is being paid alot to be an "offensive weapon", not really a "WR". That's fine, but he's breaking down (broke down?) and having a traditional WR is alot more valuable.

For the record, the debate was never who was more valuable or who would be prioritized with extension between Deebo and Aiyuk. Staylor and I both recognize that there are too many variables in those arguments to even broach that subject.

The argument was mostly over who was the better WR.

We know that Aiyuk is the prototypical X, the traditional WR. We know that Deebo is more of a bruiser WR/RB hybrid. All that on the table, who is the better player? Personally, I think it’s Deebo because Deebo is a lot better at doing the things Aiyuk does than Aiyuk is at doing the things Deebo does.

My best comparison was a QB debate with a dual-threat QB like Lamar vs a traditional pocket passer like Dak. I don’t think many would disagree with the idea that Dak is a much better traditional pocket passer. He’s better at doing all of the things you’d look for in a typical QB. At the same time, you can’t discredit the abilities Lamar brings with his legs. All in all, I think most would agree that Lamar is the better QB.

[ThaVirus]

Originally Posted by Rausch

Kinda like how we got Rice the ball last year. Only Rice can stay healthy...

For the record, Rashee’s ADoT last season was 4.8 yards to Deebo’s 8.3. So there is a pretty significant difference between the two’s usage.

Either way, I think it just makes sense when you’ve got a guy so lethal with the ball in his hands. We know that the further downfield the target is, generally speaking, there’s a lower chance of completing the pass. I think offensive gurus like Reid and Shanahan understand that. If I want the ball in a guy’s hands at all costs, I’m probably going to create a gameplan that revolves around the short passing game because it should translate into more opportunities for him to get the ball in his hands and make a play.

That doesn’t necessarily mean that Rice or Samuel can’t run good routes or create separation on their own. It’s just good business sense.

[Megatron96]

Originally Posted by Sassy Squatch

May just not want to play under Shanahan longer than he has to. Public knowledge they've been at odds in the past. Aiyuk may just be one of those dudes that takes it personally.

Might be onto something here. Just looking at his stats in SF just over the last three seasons, he's been targeted 84x, 114x, and 105x. Pretty low totals for an X. Deebo and Kittle were targeted about 90x each, and CMC about 75x since he arrived.

Then factor in the fact Purdy just doesn't have a big arm, and Shanahan's offense is basically designed around a rushing attack and a shorter passing attack.


Aiyuk might feel that Deebo/Kittle/CMC, Purdy's limitations as a deep ball passer and Shanahan's scheme are taking a lot of targets away from him.



And Aiyuk is faster than most people think; his :40 time was run right after he had some kind of core surgery. He's faster than that time indicates. Watch some of his highlights. He can run.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by Rausch

Kinda like how we got Rice the ball last year. Only Rice can stay healthy...

Rice reminds me far more of Aiyuk than he does of Deebo.

Last season was a break-in year for Rice. As he progresses, he'll be a set and forget X receiver.

Honesly, I almost wouldn't mind a trade up in the 1st this year for a Z and then Worthy slots in as a really dynamic long-term Y.

Probably unnecessary but man it would be cool. I just don't know that you can get a true Z receiver anymore without getting into the top 10 (or just getting a little bit lucky).

[staylor26]

Originally Posted by ThaVirus

Ok, well, when you’re a DC in the NFL and you’re game planning for the 9ers, you can prioritize Aiyuk over Deebo and Kittle and see how well that works out for you.

I don’t think many teams would bother doing that. It’ll be CMC first, Deebo second, then Kittle, then Aiyuk because CMC, Deebo and Kittle have all demonstrated the ability to be game changers. Aiyuk can’t say the same.

Holy **** you're absolutely clueless and delusional.

Funny how Deebo's 1,400 yard season is somehow proof that he's a great WR too that can run routes and separate, but Aiyuk hasn't even proven to be a "game changer" after a 1,342 yard season. Unlike Deebo, more than 50% of those yards didn't come from YAC either.

****ing

[New World Order]

So is this going to happen or what?

[staylor26]

Originally Posted by ThaVirus

For the record, the debate was never who was more valuable or who would be prioritized with extension between Deebo and Aiyuk. Staylor and I both recognize that there are too many variables in those arguments to even broach that subject.

The argument was mostly over who was the better WR.

We know that Aiyuk is the prototypical X, the traditional WR. We know that Deebo is more of a bruiser WR/RB hybrid. All that on the table, who is the better player? Personally, I think it’s Deebo because Deebo is a lot better at doing the things Aiyuk does than Aiyuk is at doing the things Deebo does.

My best comparison was a QB debate with a dual-threat QB like Lamar vs a traditional pocket passer like Dak. I don’t think many would disagree with the idea that Dak is a much better traditional pocket passer. He’s better at doing all of the things you’d look for in a typical QB. At the same time, you can’t discredit the abilities Lamar brings with his legs. All in all, I think most would agree that Lamar is the better QB.

It's more like comparing Lamar to CJ Stroud, but keep going with this stupid comparison.

[O.city]

We're getting into the weeds here a little bit, so much of the QB thing is the surroundings and coaches.

If I had Dak in that Baltimore system.....yeah I think he'd have had more playoff success than he's had in Dallas. I just don't care for a guy who's main attribute is his legs playing QB.

Similarly....if I want a WR, I want a guy that does WR things IE, running routes and getting open.