Much has been said regarding the Brandon Aiyuk situation in San Francisco. One minute, it seems as if momentum is leading him away from the 49ers, only for a conflicting report to come out a few hours later that states he may be staying after all. The true question for Steelers fans is, “Should the team even want to bring him in?”

Over the past month, there have been four primary teams other than the 49ers that were linked to Aiyuk: the Steelers, Browns, Patriots, and Commanders. The Commanders originally made the most sense, considering he could be reunited with former college teammate Jayden Daniels. However, they were the first ones out of the sweepstakes, which turned the attention to three AFC teams.

The Patriots originally showed intrigue, but it did not sound as if Aiyuk had any desire to go there, which is likely what led to New England bowing out of the race. The Browns did not make as much sense, but the 49ers were truly desiring to get a different wide receiver in a trade, along with additional draft capital. Unfortunately, Amari Cooper’s contract was recently reworked, which would have made it incredibly difficult to move in a trade.

This brings us to the Steelers. While I do not believe the Steelers could offer anything at receiver in a trade, they technically have the cap space to add him, and they could definitely afford to upgrade the position. On the flip side, there are several concerns when it comes to adding someone like Aiyuk.

For one, if the Steelers do indeed trade for his services, they will have to be willing to pay him the long-term contract he is requesting, which could be in the ballpark of $30 million per year. That is not a contract you want to take on when several key players on offense (George Pickens, Najee Harris, Pat Freiermuth, Justin Fields/Russell Wilson) could also be looking for extended deals in the next year or two.

Another reason I do not like the idea of trading for Aiyuk is the capital it would take to get him. Whether it be a first-round pick, a second-round and fourth-round pick, or something entirely different, this will put the Steelers in a tricky situation come April, as they will need to find key pieces at defensive line and potentially even quarterback.

The primary reason, however, is one that Jeremy Betz shared with me on the Steelers Fix podcast here on SCN, and it is the concern that trading for someone with Aiyuk’s status could negatively affect George Pickens. Pickens is poised to be the WR1 in this offense this year, and he has the talent to do it. Unfortunately, Pickens has not been shy about sharing his opinions and emotions in the past, and if the Steelers were to trade for Aiyuk, it could open up a true can of worms with Pickens and the team. What if he isn’t getting the ball? Will he throw a fit and be a distraction? It is a valid question we do not have the answer for, and it is not one I would want to get an answer to, to be quite frank.

This is why I have become a proponent of bringing in ex-Steeler JuJu Smith-Schuster. JuJu is nowhere near the level of receiver Aiyuk is, but he is still only 27 years old, and the best years of his career were in Pittsburgh. He was a fan favorite, and he would definitely invigorate energy into the fan base regarding the receiving corps as a whole.

Coming off an injury-ridden season on a dilapidated Patriots team, Smith-Schuster has hit his lowest point in terms of personal stock in the NFL, but let us not forget that just one year previous, he was a key contributor for Kansas City and came just 67 receiving yards short of 1,000 for the season. Although he is not the most efficient receiver in the world, his physical play from the slot would give Russell Wilson and Justin Fields a much-needed chain-mover underneath, which would open up more big plays for George Pickens down the field.

I have high hopes for Roman Wilson in the second half of this season, but he is currently dealing with an injury, and the team cannot afford to rely on a rookie to get by in 2024. The WR2 in Arthur Smith’s offense does not need to be an elite WR2 and garner a large portion of the targets, but if the Steelers could have a WR competent enough to keep a little attention away from George Pickens, it would allow Pickens to reach his full potential in this offense.

JuJu Smith-Schuster may not even be WR2 material for many teams, but for the role the Steelers need filled to compliment George Pickens, Roman Wilson, Calvin Austin III, and Scotty “Bugatti” Miller, he would be an ideal fit. Now that he is available on the cheap, the Steelers can bring the former phenom back home and help resurrect his career.

Trading for Brandon Aiyuk would limit George Pickens and stunt his growth while potentially making Aiyuk the innocent cause of drama. Signing JuJu Smith-Schuster is enough of a threat to keep teams from focusing solely on Pickens, but not enough to steal a large portion of his targets. In Arthur Smith’s offense, it is typical for only one receiver to eat, and the Steelers need it to be George Pickens. Trading for Aiyuk would prevent that from happening. Signing a player of Smith-Schuster’s caliber is exactly what the doctor would want ordered in Pittsburgh.