Schefter: Steelers will trade George Pickens and Pat Freiermuth for Brandon Aiyuk bring back a familiar face at safety

The Pittsburgh Steelers’ pursuit of San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk is still ongoing, but it seems another day will pass without the deal being finalized.

Although the Steelers appear to be the only team actively negotiating for Aiyuk, the 49ers remain firm, unwilling to accept an offer they don’t consider worthwhile. This has led to speculation that the 49ers might be seeking George Pickens as part of the trade, which would be redundant for the Steelers.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the Steelers are not willing to part with any of their key offensive players. “Pittsburgh is not giving up George Pickens for Brandon Aiyuk,” Schefter said on *The Rothman and Ice Show*. “Pittsburgh is not giving up Pat Freiermuth for Brandon Aiyuk. Certain things are not realistic.”

Although a deal has not yet been finalized, NFL Network Insiders Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport have both indicated that they expect Brandon Aiyuk to join the Steelers. It appears to be a matter of “if,” rather than “when,” with all signs pointing to Aiyuk becoming a Steeler soon.

The recently-signed safety, Elliott, should be familiar to Steelers fans. He has had multiple stints on the team’s practice squad and offseason roster since 2023. Undrafted in 2020 out of Notre Dame, Elliott has previously been with the Detroit Lions, New England Patriots, and Las Vegas Raiders before rejoining the Steelers. Standing 6’0″ and weighing 210 pounds, Elliott had a challenging NFL Combine, running a 4.8-second 40-yard dash, though he later clocked times in the 4.5s at Notre Dame’s pro day.

Elliott has played in eight regular season NFL games, starting one, and has recorded 12 total tackles during his career.

It remains to be seen if Elliott will participate in the Steelers’ first preseason game of 2024, scheduled for August 9 at 7 p.m. ET against the Houston Texans.

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