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If recent reports are to be believed, the New England Patriots put in a significant trade offer for San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk.
“After inquiring about Brandon Aiyuk’s availability, the Patriots have decided not to explore any further trade possibilities with the 49ers regarding their standout wide receiver. Patriots are excited about their young receivers and want to focus on them,” NFL insider Adam Schefter wrote on X on August 6.
Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area added a few more wrinkles to that.
“The Patriots reportedly are no longer involved,” Maiocco wrote. “They were serious contenders for a while. The Patriots were prepared to offer the largest deal of the teams who pursued Aiyuk. Two sources told NBC Sports Bay Area that New England’s proposal topped $30 million a year. Another source confirmed that former 49ers wide receiver Kendrick Bourne would have been part of the trade.”
Did Brandon Aiyuk Turn Down a Trade to New England Patriots?
Considering the All-Pro wideout wasn’t interested in what Maiocco termed the “largest deal” of any team showing interest, it certainly sounds like Aiyuk didn’t want to play for the Patriots.
“It sounds like the #Patriots were willing to offer the most money per year to Brandon Aiyuk of all the teams pursuing him,” The 33rd Team’s Ari Meirov wrote on X. “Seems like Aiyuk wouldn’t want to go there.”
Some were quick to point out that the Patriots are no longer a top destination for players. New England hasn’t won the AFC East since 2019 and has had one winning season since that time.
The Pats finished with a 4-13 mark last year, and currently have veteran Jacoby Brissett and rookie Drake Maye as the top two quarterbacks on the depth chart. That uncertainty at QB likely played a role in Aiyuk’s decision not to head to New England.
“In the end, the Patriots aren’t a destination any more,” MassLive’s Mark Daniels wrote on X. “The Patriots will need to prove they can win and put together a better offense on the field before they become a better destination.”
The Pats were interested in Aiyuk for quite some time, according to ESPN.
“New England had been attempting to acquire Aiyuk for months, and it had been a slow process from its side,” ESPN reported. “New England was willing to make Aiyuk one of the top five highest-paid wide receivers in the NFL in terms of average salary per year.”
Alas, it wasn’t meant to be.
A Look at Patriots’ WR Corps Heading Into 2024 Season
In addition to Bourne, who will likely miss the start of the regular season due to recovery from the ACL tera he sustained Week 8 of last season, the Patriots have a blend of veterans and inexperienced WRs on the roster.
Vets include including JuJu Smith-Schuster, former Minnesota Viking K.J. Osborn and Jalen Reagor. There’s excitement surrounding second rounder Ja’Lynn Polk, who New England selected 37th overall in this year’s draft, as well as DeMario Douglas, who caught 49 passes for 561 yards as a rookie last year.
There’s also several unknowns in 2024 fourth-rounder Javon Baker, Kayshon Boutte, Tyquan Thornton, Kawaan Baker and David Wallis.
Without a dominant WR1 in the room, it’s easy to see why the Pats pursued Aiyuk. Unfortunately for New England, it’s also easy to understand why he turned the team down.
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