Why the Patriots are unlikely to trade for Brandon Aiyuk originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
Brandon Aiyuk and the New England Patriots seem like a perfect match. The star wide receiver reportedly wants out of San Francisco, and an elite pass-catcher is among the Patriots’ most glaring needs ahead of the 2024 campaign.
According to NFL insider Josina Anderson, the Patriots reached out to the 49ers in the last couple of weeks regarding a potential deal for Aiyuk but were told he wasn’t available. Now that the 26-year-old has requested a trade, is there a legitimate chance he could be sent to New England?
“My answer to that question as we sit here today is no,” NBC Sports Boston’s Patriots insider Phil Perry said on Tuesday’s Early Edition. “And that’s because my guess is the Niners are going to hold on to Brandon Aiyuk, who is an asset even with training camp just days away now. He’ll report. He won’t stay away and incur a bunch of fines. That usually doesn’t go well for guys. My guess is he’ll be there. I don’t know how much he’ll actually participate, but what the Niners probably will do in order to make the most of their leverage is hold onto him.
“Maybe (they’ll) see if somebody else, another team around the league, suffers an injury to that position. Now, all of a sudden they’re desperate and then your leverage is maximized. You could maybe get a first-round pick. AJ Brown went for a first-round pick a couple of years ago. They’re gonna want a first-round pick for that guy. The Patriots might be picking in the top 10 next year in the first round. Does that sound like it’s a feasible plan to you?”
Early Edition host Trenni Casey asked Mike Giardi of the Boston Sports Journal whether Aiyuk would be worth a top-10 pick in next year’s draft.
“No,” Giardi answered. “Look, he’s a terrific player. He’s a top 10 receiver in the league. I don’t think enough people pay attention to how good he is, but there’s no way in hell San Francisco wants to give him up. They’ve got Deebo Samuel, who’s gonna come off the books next year whether they rework his deal or they just flat-out cut him. So probably what they’re telling Aiyuk right now is, ‘Look, man, just stay patient, play under the fifth-year option here, and then when we get to next offseason we’re gonna clear all that money with Deebo, and you and Brock Purdy are gonna get paid.’
“If that’s the case, why would you give him up? They were in the Super Bowl last year. They have a real chance to win the Super Bowl. You don’t replace Brandon Aiyuk with a draft pick at this point. If they were gonna make this trade, the time to make it was before the draft and maybe you maneuver that way and you get yourself a higher first-round pick, someone to come in and make an impact right away.
“They drafted Ricky Pearsall, who’s actually gonna start camp on the non-football injury list. But he’s not Aiyuk. Very few guys are Aiyuk. So while it’s great to talk about, I just can’t see San Francisco parting with him at this point.”
NFL Media’s Mike Garafolo reported that the 49ers “have not been willing to engage in negotiations” since May. Aiyuk is reportedly looking for a contract akin to Detroit Lions receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown’s $28 million per year.
Following the news of Aiyuk’s trade request, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that several teams contacted the 49ers regarding a potential deal but were told San Francisco has “no intention” of trading him.
Aiyuk would immediately slot in as New England’s top option on offense. Last season with the Niners, the Ohio State product racked up 65 catches for a career-high 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns in 16 games.
With two weeks until training camp, the Patriots’ crowded wide receiver room features Kendrick Bourne, K.J. Osborn, DeMario Douglas, Ja’Lynn Polk, Javon Baker, Jalen Reagor, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Tyquan Thornton, Kayshon Boutte, Kawaan Baker, and David Wallis.