Getty Brandon Aiyuk #11 of the San Francisco 49ers makes a catch.
Brandon Aiyuk is unquestionably grappling with a sophomore slump this season, and a change of scenery might be just what the doctor ordered for both the young wide receiver and the San Francisco 49ers‘ struggling offense.
NFL trade speculation is at its peak, with the November 2 deadline just days away, and perhaps the most fitting trade partner in a potential deal for Aiyuk is the New England Patriots. The two teams have dealt with each other on big deals before, most notably when Pats head coach Bill Belichick and Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan struck a bargain back in 2017 that sent QB Jimmy Garoppolo to San Francisco for a 2018 second-round pick.
Brian Hines, of Pats Pulpit, explored what a move might look like in an article published Friday, October 29.
“In a dream scenario, New England could pry Brandon Aiyuk from Kyle Shanahan’s grasp. The electric and versatile second-year receiver has been put in the dog house this year after a strong rookie season,” Hines wrote. “It’s unlikely San Francisco is ready to move on after they traded up to select him in the 2020 NFL Draft, but if they are, New England should certainly be involved. Aiyuk is a dynamic game-changer that would add a versatile threat to this offense.”
Aiyuk Has Struggled Mightily After Standout Rookie Campaign
GettyBrandon Aiyuk leaves the field after a preseason game between the Chargers and 49ers.
Aiyuk exploded onto the scene in San Francisco as a rookie last season.
Appearing in 12 games, and starting 11 of them, the now 23-year-old product out of Arizona State caught 60 passes for a total of 748 yards and 5 touchdowns, per Pro Football Reference. And should anyone have suspected Aiyuk of being a one-dimensional weapon offensively, the wide receiver corrected their assumptions by rushing the ball 6 times for 77 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Needless to say, the future looked bright. The lights turned up even higher on Aiyuk’s future with the prospect of the injury-plagued 49ers getting healthy again after being ravaged on both sides of the football during the 2020-21 campaign.
But so far, those hopes of greatness have not come to fruition. Aiyuk has caught just 13 passes for 141 yards and 1 touchdown over 7 games during his sophomore season, according to statistics provided by ESPN.
Aiyuk Has Drawn Public Criticism From Niners GM John Lynch
GettyGeneral manager John Lynch (left) and head coach Kyle Shanahan, of the San Francisco 49ers.
Aiyuk’s struggles this season have drawn questions from fans and the media and, in turn, inspired criticism from Niners general manager John Lynch.
Lynch earlier this month appeared on KNBR 680 and said that the second-year wide receiver “…has not made the strides we expect him to.”
Rodney Harrison, a former safety with the Patriots, responded to Lynch’s comments with criticism of his own for his former NFL peer.
“Look, I love John Lynch, but that’s the wrong thing to do,” Harrison told NBC’s Jac Collinsworth of Lynch’s comments about Aiyuk. “You draft a guy that high, you don’t criticize him in the media.”
“If anything, what you do is you bring him in and you say ‘Look, we’re going to get you the ball. We believe in you. We’re going to get you the ball quick and early,'” Harrison continued.
Aiyuk responded somewhat to the criticisms against the Chicago Bears on Sunday, October 31. He tallied 4 catches, tying his season high in that category, for 45 yards. That yardage marker is also the highest total Aiyuk has posted this season.
The Niners broke a four-game losing streak with a 33-22 victory over the Bears, moving to 3-4 on the season to keep their heads above water, at least for now.
But if San Francisco hopes to make a playoff push, Aiyuk will have to continue to improve — or the Niners will have to get something valuable in return for the young wideout before the trade deadline, possibly from the Patriots, and lean on other playmakers to step up in Aiyuk’s stead.