A three-team trade for Brandon Aiyuk to make the Steelers and 49ers happy

The San Francisco 49ers continue to entertain potential Brandon Aiyuk trades after months of stalled contract talks. He has a preferred destination — the Pittsburgh Steelers, per NFL Network's Mike Garafolo — but there are potential hangups.

First and foremost, the Steelers need to put forth a suitable extension offer. That appears done. Next up, the 49ers need to accept Pittsburgh's trade return. That is where things get tricky. The Steelers have the draft capital to pique San Francisco's interest, but according to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Niners are asking for another wide receiver in return. They need to replace Aiyuk on the fly.

The Steelers, however, don't plan to part with any of their current players in a trade.

Unstoppable force, meet unmovable object? Well, maybe not. There's a chance that one side caves. Pittsburgh doesn't really have a WR that would interest San Francisco, though, aside from George Pickens. He's not going anywhere.

The obvious solution is to rope in a third team. If the Steelers can find another wideout to reroute to San Francisco, that could be what pushes a long-awaited Aiyuk trade over the finish line. The question is, which team can Pittsburgh turn to?

3-team trade to land Brandon Aiyuk on the Steelers

A very rare win-win-win trade in the NFL!

The Seattle Seahawks may hesitate to help a division rival, but this trade moves Brandon Aiyuk out of the division and the conference. Tyler Lockett is entering the final guaranteed season of his contract. At 31, he's not part of Seattle's long-term plans. The Niners can afford to keep Lockett around for a couple years, where he can blossom in Kyle Shanahan's offense. A natural fit.

In fact, this is just about everything San Francisco can hope for — financial relief, a high draft pick, and a competent wideout with postseason experience. Lockett won't match Aiyuk's explosive output, but he managed 79 receptions for 894 yards and five touchdowns last season. Lockett isn't the All-Pro WR1 of yesteryear, but can absolutely thrive in a streamlined role for the NFC's top offense. He also won't demand more than half as much on his next contract.

The Seahawks are well compensated for their participation, acquiring two mid-round picks. With Geno Smith set to play out the final year of his contract, it's clear Seattle is on the precipice of drastic change. Roster overhaul is inevitable. Lockett's value won't increase from this point on. The closer he gets to free agency, the more his value plummets. Trading him before the season is ideal.

As for Pittsburgh, the appeal is well-documented. The Steelers' offense needs a boost. Aiyuk is among the most explosive pass-catchers in the sport, averaging 17.9 yards per catch a season ago. There are valid concerns about Arthur Smith's tendency to ignore his stars for prolonged stretches, but the combined big-play ability of Aiyuk and Pickens would meaningfully elevate the Steelers' ceiling. Even with Russell Wilson or Justin Fields under center.

It's beyond clear that San Francisco is dragging its feet here. They don't want to trade Aiyuk, and yet, they also don't want to pay him. Thankfully, we appear to be reaching the boiling point. A trade should occur sooner than later. If the Steelers can engineer a proposal that addresses all of San Francisco's needs without completely bankrupting their own asset trove, well, that should speed up the process.