Why Brandon Aiyuk is so special, scheme-friendly — and a clean fit with the Steelers (and everyone else)

In between joint practice skirmishes and proclamations of draft steals/busts off training camp clips shot at a Dutch angle, we are right on the cusp of an onslaught of NFL preseason games.

There have been rumors, and counter-rumors, and re-rumors, and a dog in a hat, of an upcoming trade involving San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk and, depending on what time you last checked, the Cleveland Browns, New England Patriots, and/or Pittsburgh Steelers.

The 49ers, juggling a current and upcoming salary cap situation that involves most of their current core, including the potential megadeal for quarterback Brock Purdy, are allowing Aiyuk to test the market to get ahead of potentially losing him for nothing — or guaranteeing the use of the franchise tag, which takes away a potential chip for any of the 49ers’ other pending free agents.

Aiyuk, coming off a second-team All-Pro nod, has a market. But what makes him worth the rumored price point that could fetch north of $30 million annually?

What makes Brandon Aiyuk so special (and scheme-friendly)

Brandon Aiyuk simply moves different. That is not to say he is faster than everyone, because he is not, but Aiyuk’s body control and flexibility are noteworthy. His ability to bound and burst in and out of his routes, skipping forward into his route break like Indiana Jones spelling out “Jehovah” and freezing flummoxed cornerbacks:

And moving at angles that a large swath of the league’s players couldn’t even fathom, spreading his legs apart like he’s about to execute a crossover dribble but seemingly losing very little acceleration as he speeds past defenders who have advantageous leverage on him:

Aiyuk has not only blossomed into a valuable pass catcher that can win consistently against man coverage, but a more complete receiver and football player overall. Aiyuk’s traits jump out right away, but he is really starting to get a knack for playing the position. His disco-like route running style isn’t empty…

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Author : Yahoo Sports

Publish date : 2024-08-07 23:24:31

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