3 teams that could swoop in and steal Brandon Aiyuk from Steelers at the last moment

The never-ending Brandon Aiyuk saga added another chapter on Tuesday when suddenly, the Pittsburgh Steelers were back in the hunt.

Initially, it appeared that the Aiyuk suitors were down to the Cleveland Browns and New England Patriots, but the Steelers jumped back into the race, and the Patriots reportedly bowed out.

With all of these twists and turns, it's hard to know who is actually in on Aiyuk and who isn't. It feels by every passing day that the 49ers and the teams they're negotiating with are trying to win the leverage battle to avoid losing in an Aiyuk trade.

As long as the Steelers are in the mix, it's easy to consider them the favorites. They need Aiyuk desperately and have been connected to him all offseason. With that being said, though, it's far from certain that Aiyuk will wear black and gold. It wouldn't be shocking at all to see any of these three teams swoop in at the last moment and give the 49ers and Aiyuk offers they cannot refuse.

3) The Browns should try and steal Aiyuk away from their AFC North rivals

The Cleveland Browns are an obvious one. They've been heavily connected to Aiyuk in recent days, and the fact that the Steelers are back in the hunt should only raise their sense of urgency.

The fit with Cleveland is an interesting one because they do already have an established WR1 on their team, Amari Cooper. The problem is, though, Cooper is 30 years old, is in the final year of his deal, and has been banged up in the past.

Aiyuk, on the other hand, is four years younger, healthier, will come with a lengthy extension, and is simply better than Cooper right now and will be much better in the future. Making a move like this makes Cleveland better in 2024 and beyond, which is always better than focusing on just 2024.

The Browns hypothetically can trade Cooper while holding onto their first-round picks. If that's the case, it feels like a no-brainer. Since Cooper is still a very capable receiver, the Niners might prefer to do a deal with Cleveland over other teams, too while they try and compete. Acquiring him while the Steelers are in heavy pursuit would just be the icing on the cake.

2) Brandon Aiyuk would probably love to join the Commanders and Jayden Daniels

Aiyuk has been linked to the Washington Commanders for much of the offseason in large part because Jayden Daniels, the new franchise QB in Washington, was his college teammate. The duo already has chemistry, which would only help Daniels as he develops (hopefully) into an elite quarterback.

Underratedly, the Commanders would have one of the best wide receiver rooms if they were able to pull off a deal like this with Aiyuk joining Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson. Daniels would be given the ultimate chance to succeed if Washington paired his elite rushing ability with three stud weapons.

Washington reportedly was unwilling to meet the Niners' asking price in a trade, but as we saw with Pittsburgh, all it takes is one side to blink for that to change. The Commanders should not be ruled out until Aiyuk is sent elsewhere or signs an extension to stay in San Francisco, especially since he would probably love to go there.

1) The Chargers make too much sense for Brandon Aiyuk to not be in the discussion

The Los Angeles Chargers have not been linked to Brandon Aiyuk, at least not lately, but it makes too much sense for them to not be in the running.

Justin Herbert, one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, is locked in through the 2029 campaign. Getting him a high-end WR1 like Aiyuk who he can throw to for the duration of that deal if not beyond would be ideal, especially when taking a look at Los Angeles' current wide receiver room.

If the season began today their WR1 would be who, Josh Palmer? If not Palmer, it'd probably be Ladd McConkey, a talented rookie undoubtedly, but is he really a WR1 in 2024? Other underwhelming options like Quentin Johnston and DJ Chark are in the mix as well.

They appear likely to be more of a rush-first team with John Harbaugh and Greg Roman running the show, but with Justin Herbert under center, that should not be the case. Get Herbert a true WR1 like Aiyuk and watch the Chargers' offense explode. They might not be ready to win in 2024, but their offense would be set to dominate for a while with a young and elite quarterback-wide receiver duo leading the way.