3 Steelers veterans who won’t be back if Brandon Aiyuk trade finally goes through

The Pittsburgh Steelers and San Francisco 49ers reportedly have the framework of a deal in place to send Brandon Aiyuk east. However, the ball is in Aiyuk's court, as the 49ers made him an extension offer. If Aiyuk really wants to stay by the Bay, he can all the while becoming a rich man. If not, John Lynch will gladly send him to Pittsburgh in the aforementioned agreement for draft capital and more, where he can catch passes from Russell Wilson and/or Justin Fields.

However, every move Omar Khan makes has ramifications for the roster. Aiyuk would take someone's spot, more than likely a proven veteran who is hustling to make the 53-man roster. Not to mention, Aiyuk is set to earn at least $28 million per season on a long-term deal, depending on which reporter you believe. That's a lot of money, and the Steelers will have to pay a quarterback eventually.

So, who will stay and who will go? Let's make some educated guesses.

3. Steelers wide receiver room is about to shrink if Brandon Aiyuk is added

The first place the Steelers could aim to shrink their roster is in the wide receiver room. Heck, it just makes sense. Pittsburgh added all sorts of veteran wideouts this offseason because, in part, they were lacking at the position opposite of George Pickens.

The likes of Van Jefferson, Quez Watkins and Dez Fitzpatrick are probably safe. Scotty Miller, however, could very well be on the outs. Miller should land elsewhere, so this isn't the last you'll hear of him. However, with Aiyuk in play, the Steelers don't need the 27-year-old.

Miller has played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Atlanta Falcons in his career. While he does have a history with offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, that isn't enough to save his job. In his five years in the NFL, Miller has just 144 yards receiving. He's nothing more than a depth option for Pittsburgh.

2. Dan Moore Jr. is gone whether the Steelers acquire Brandon Aiyuk or not

I can't stress enough how frustrating it is watching Dan Moore Jr. play football. Every team has its scapegoat, and the Steelers have gotten rid of all of theirs minus Moore Jr., who continues to get starting minutes over the likes of first-round pick Troy Fautanu, which is infuriating.

Mike Tomlin likes to protect his early-round picks, specifically on the offensive line. Hell, we just went through this in 2023 with Broderick Jones. Eventually, Jones proved he was the far superior player and athlete, took over for Moore, and the rest is history.

I have nothing against Moore personally. He's a depth option on the offensive line and nothing more, and I hope he gets a job elsewhere. However, his time has been up in Pittsburgh for quite some time. Tomlin and Khan need to pull the trigger on a move that's been a long time coming, especially if they acquire Aiyuk and pay him the big bucks. It helps that releasing Moore would save the Steelers $3,366 million in cap space.

1. The Steelers don't need three veteran quarterbacks, sorry Kyle Allen

Kyle Allen should land on a practice squad somewhere. That location is not Pittsburgh, which already has Russell Wilson and Justin Fields as more-than-capable signal-callers to run the offense. Behind these two is John Rhys Plumlee who, while unproven, has flashed some potential in camp and deserves a real opportunity on the practice squad.

Allen is the definition of an NFL journeyman, picking up paychecks wherever he can get them. He is the Chase Daniel of his generation, having played for the Panthers, Commanders, Bills and Texans so far. He's still only 28 years old, and he's on his fifth NFL team. That's nothing against Allen, but it tells us what we already know -- the Texas A&M product is disposable.

Perhaps the Steelers will hold onto Allen just in case of emergency. I don't feel strongly enough to blast that choice. However, if one of Wilson or Fields went down, would Steelers fans feel comfortable with Allen as the emergency option? I'd like to think they could do better in that spot.