Assets are valued much differently across 32 teams in the NFL. The proverbial "one man's trash is another man's treasure" comes into play. But determining value is largely a process of reviewing comparable assets and the recent prices those assets went for on the open market. When the Titans acquired CB L'Jarius Sneed from the Chiefs for a 2025 third-round pick, and a swap of seventh-round picks in this year's draft, they added some dimension to potential trades still brewing around the league.
Perhaps the most prominent of those is 49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk -- a player the Steelers are rumored to be interested in acquiring.
Sneed and Aiyuk play different positions, and while Sneed was on the Chiefs' franchise tag, Aiyuk is entering the final year of his rookie contract. This likely would mean not to expect an apples-to-apples trade package, but it does add some weight to the idea a team acquiring a player who's demanding a new contract isn't likely to give up much for him.
It does happen, though. The Chiefs received a first, second and fourth round pick in 2022 as well as a fourth and a sixth from Miami in 2023 for WR Tyreek Hill. The Dolphins then signed Hill to a 4-year $120 million contract extension.
To be fair, no one is going to confuse Aiyuk for Hiill (Sneed isn't Hill's cornerback equivalent either). But not long after that trade was made, the Titans shipped off A.J. Brown to Philadelphia for a first-round pick (18th overall) and a third-round pick. Brown immediately signed a four-year, $100 million contract with the Eagles, as he was entering the final year of his rookie contract, just as Aiyuk is.
That seems a little more in line with a reasonable market for Aiyuk. One could consider mid-round pick is pretty light compensation for a player (Sneed) who will sign a $76 million contract after the trade goes through, and maybe that pulls Aiyuk's value a little lower.
San Francisco itself is aware of the high end of the trade market. They acquired the NFL's offensive player of the year in 2023, Christian McCaffrey, for second, third and fourth round picks in 2023, and a fifth-round pick in this draft from Carolina. He was already on a big contract at that point, so the fact San Francisco had to absorb the terms McCaffrey negotiated and signed with the Panthers adds to the puzzle.
So what would Aiyuk go for?
One would likely start with the Brown trade, given it's relatively new and it's for a receiver of some outstanding production (Aiyuk has had 153 catches for 2,357 yards and 15 touchdowns the last two seasons). A new contract would likely be required, and it would be for more than what Brown signed for in 2022.
That might knock a reasonable asking price from a first-rounder to a second, and it would depend largely on what San Francisco feels it needs immediately and how easily they could replace his production.
It would also depend on another team lining up for the same market. Steelers fans no doubt remember Chase Claypool being acquired by the Bears at the trade deadline in 2022. Other teams were getting involved, and the Bears had to go up to a second-rounder to land a player they felt would make an impact.
Of course, he did not. At all. But caveat emptor.
The trade market, directly and indirectly influenced by recent trades followed by extensions, creates a reasonable asking price of multiple picks, at least one in the first round. That would be cemented if any other team is interested in acquiring Aiyuk.
What would Pittsburgh give up?
Pittsburgh has the 20th overall pick, as well as No. 119 overall, which is very close to what Tennessee received for Brown. It would make sense San Francisco would be looking for that sort of return.
Whether they pull the trigger would likely depend on whether the Steelers feel they need another big-bodied deep-threat receiver alongside George Pickens (who may or may not have issues with Pittsburgh adding another receiver).
After trading Diontae Johnson to Carolina, it would seem the Steelers would be in the market for another receiver. Talks between Pittsburgh and Tyler Boyd appear to have stalled, but there is always the draft ahead. We'll see whether the Steelers want to keep the capital they have, or acquire and sign a proven commodity like Aiyuk.
