Fair to say, this would qualify as a shakeup. Given the overall lack of depth within the Patriots’ roster as a whole, it might not be the wisest pursuit, either. But it would be a chance for New England to give new quarterback Drake Maye an instant star weapon via a massive, three-team trade: 49ers star receiver Brandon Aiyuk.
That’s the thrust of a proposal from Bleacher Report, in an article titled, “Hypothetical 3-Team Trades That Would Turn the NFL Upside Down Before 2024 Season.” Among the deals is one that would bring the disgruntled Aiyuk—who has not been able to reach a contract deal with the cap-strapped 49ers but could get a very generous contract from the Patriots—to Maye’s offense.
The deal would be costly, sending out defensive leader Matthew Judon to the Falcons, with New England’s first-rounder going to the 49ers. Here’s the deal as constructed by Kristopher Knox of B/R:
Falcons Get: Edge Matthew Judon
Patriots Get: WR Brandon Aiyuk
49ers Get: CB Mike Hughes, Patriots’ 2025 first-round pick, Falcons’ 2025 third-round pick
Patriots Could Give up Veteran Matthew Judon
Bringing a top-level threat like Aiyuk to the Patriots would be a major move, but there would have to be concerns about whether the Pats are ready for such a move. The offensive line is still packed with uncertainty and there’s no indication even that Maye will be the starter in Week 1, let alone whether he can actually be a capable NFL quarterback.
Still, adding Aiyuk would at least guarantee that the Patriots were not shortchanging Maye by not having enough receiver talent around him.
The three-way trade would have no chance of getting off the ground unless the 49ers’ standoff with Aiyuk persists. He met with coach Kyle Shanahan and GM John Lynch this week, but no deal has come out of that.
Wrote Knox:
“For the right return, Aiyuk could be viewed as expendable. In this scenario, the 49ers would send Aiyuk to the New England Patriots for a first-round selection. The Patriots could look to include pass-rusher Matthew Judon, who is entering the final year of his contract. …
“The Patriots, meanwhile, would get a No. 1-caliber receiver to aid the development of rookie quarterback Drake Maye. With $43.3 million in cap space available, New England could afford to give Aiyuk the long-term extension he is seeking.”
Brandon Aiyuk Unhappy With Contract
That would be one of the drivers of the deal, if a trade like this had any chance of becoming reality—the Patriots entered the 2024 offseason with an acre of cap space available but were not able to use it on quality free agents. The 49ers, meanwhile, have a packed roster with several players (Christian McCaffrey, Nick Bosa, George Kittle, Kyle Jusczyzk, Trent Williams) at or near the top of the NFL pay scale at their positions.
The Patriots could give Aiyuk the contract he wants, perhaps even overpay him into the realm of the four-year, $140 million contract the Vikings recently gave star Justin Jefferson.
Whether he would play up to that number with Maye throwing passes his way is uncertain. But he looked good catching passes from Brock Purdy, as Aiyuk is coming off an All-Pro season in which he racked up 1,342 yards on 75 catches with seven touchdowns.
The 49ers do not want to trade a player of that caliber. But if they do not have a choice, sending him to the Patriots makes ample sense.
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Wild 3-Team Trade Pitch Brings Patriots All-Pro WR for Judon, 1st-Round Pick