A contract saga that looked primed to end with Brandon Aiyuk being traded by the San Francisco 49ers took a surprise turn on Friday, with reports emerging that the Niners have re-engaged in contract negotiations with the All-Pro wide receiver.

It had previously been reported that the 49ers had agreed trade frameworks with the Cleveland Browns and New England Patriots. San Francisco was also said to be in continuing negotiations with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Patriots are out after being rejected by Aiyuk, and NBC Sports Bay Area's Matt Maiocco reported that the Browns were not one of Aiyuk's preferred destinations.

Had Aiyuk been willing to play for Cleveland, a trade would have already happened, with Maiocco on Friday revealing the details of the package the 49ers would have received from the Browns.

Maiocco wrote that the 49ers' agreed trade with Browns would have seen San Francisco receive a second-round pick, a fifth-round pick and wide receiver Amari Cooper. 

While the Niners would have lost an ascending talent in that deal, landing a five-time Pro Bowler in Cooper along with some extra draft capital may have lessened the pain.

Though the 30-year-old Cooper is older than Aiyuk, 26, he is a player with the talent to mitigate the impact of the 49ers parting their 2020 first-round pick. An Aiyuk-Cooper swap would not have been ideal, but the 49ers' Super Bowl odds likely would have remained the same.

But that trade now looks destined not to happen, and it is difficult to see any trade happening if Maiocco's reporting on what the Steelers are willing to give up is accurate. Maiocco also wrote that the Steelers have been "unwilling to provide the 49ers with their asking price of draft picks that include second and third-round selections".

If the Steelers aren't even willing to give up day-two selections for Aiyuk, then any prospect of a trade would appear to be dead in the water.

San Francisco found the value it wanted in a trade from the Browns, but Aiyuk clearly had no desire to play there. Because of that and the Steelers' reluctance to meet the asking price, there seems to be an increasing likelihood Aiyuk will continue to play his football in the Bay Area in 2024 and beyond.

Brandon Aiyuk reacts to reports about the latest surprise development in his stand-off with the 49ers

He’s still far from happy.