Do Patriots have legitimate shot at trading for Brandon Aiyuk?

Do Patriots have legitimate shot at trading for Brandon Aiyuk? originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The San Francisco 49ers insisted at the beginning of training camp they had no intentions of trading Brandon Aiyuk.

But it appears the conversation has shifted around the star wide receiver — and the New England Patriots could be involved in that conversation.

Cam Marino of NFLDraftBuzz.com reported over the weekend that the Patriots and Cleveland Browns are “front-runners” in trade discussions for Aiyuk, suggesting both teams are willing to pay Aiyuk more than $30 million per year on a new deal. NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco then reported Sunday that he views an Aiyuk trade as a realistic possibility while laying out why both New England and Cleveland would be logical trade partners.

Why the sudden momentum around a potential Aiyuk trade? As Maiocco reports, the All-Pro wideout, who is currently set to make $14.1 million on the final year of his rookie contract, has taken “longer than expected” to finalize a new deal with San Francisco after the two sides reportedly were close to an agreement last month.

Several top-tier receivers also have received new or restructured deals recently — including Tyreek Hill, whose $106.5 million in guaranteed money is the most ever for a receiver — which might be driving up Aiyuk’s price tag.

Maiocco notes the Browns could entice the 49ers by sending Amari Cooper and multiple draft picks to San Francisco in exchange for Aiyuk. A Patriots-Niners trade, meanwhile, might see Kendrick Bourne return to his NFL home for first four seasons.

“The Patriots are another logical trade partner for the 49ers,” Maiocco wrote. “The Patriots could offer former 49ers wide receiver Kendrick Bourne as part of a trade that includes an enticing package of 2025 draft picks.”

New England might be wary of parting with Bourne and a 2025 first-round pick, which likely would be in the top 10 unless the Patriots vastly overachieve this season. But if Eliot Wolf and Co. can keep their 2025 first-rounder and put together a package of Bourne and multiple 2025 draft picks, that might be a deal worth making.

Aiyuk is coming off a 1,342-yard, seven-touchdown campaign in 2023 and has back-to-back seasons of at least 1,000 receiving yards. He’d be the Patriots’ best receiver in at least five years — Julian Edelman was the last New England wideout to top 1,000 receiving yards in 2019 — and would give them the true No. 1 wideout they’ve lacked for half a decade.

Aiyuk could aid immensely in the development of rookie Drake Maye while taking some pressure of second-year receiver DeMario Douglas and rookies Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker. The Patriots have $43 million in available cap space, per OverTheCap, so they have the resources to pay the 26-year-old.

New England might decide to stay conservative and focus on rebuilding in 2024 before splurging on outside talent. But the team needs to make significant talent upgrades at some point, and it sounds like they have an opportunity to do so.