It has been three weeks since the Patriots backed out of talks to acquire star receiver Brandon Aiyuk, who allowed by the 49ers to seek a trade amid the contract standoff with the team. Part of the issue with trading for Aiyuk, though, would be agreeing to a contract extension to keep him with his new team, and that’s where the Patriots’ pursuit of Aiyuk petered out.
He did not seem much interested in going from playing in the Super Bowl with the 49ers in February to playing for the 4-13 Patriots in September. Indeed, going from Kyle Shanahan’s offense to Alex Van Pelt’s offense isn’t a choice many star receivers would make.
But Aiyuk remains without a new contract, even as the NFL season looms, less than two weeks away. And at ESPN, they’re reviving the possibility of a Patriots-Aiyuk deal, apparently fueled by the newfound excitement around the improvement shown by quarterback Drake Maye.
Patriots Could Go All-In on Drake Maye Early
Longtime ESPN insider Bill Barnwell put out the possibility on Monday in an article titled, “NFL trade candidates: Players who could change teams before deadline.” Aiyuk was on the list, with the Patriots tabbed as a “logical” landing spot.
Now, Barnwell points out that this could well be an in-season trade, and could be contingent on the idea of Maye impressing in the early going. He writes:
“Coach Jerod Mayo & Co. were reportedly one of the teams most interested in adding Aiyuk to their roster, but Aiyuk seemingly didn’t share their desire. New England still needs a No. 1 receiver for Drake Maye, and if the team looks better than expected early in the season, perhaps Aiyuk could be swayed to change his mind.”
It’s a longshot, of course, but it is a nice thought nonetheless. The Patriots need a lot of work on the offensive side of the ball, especially on the offensive line, and the idea that Maye could win the job—Mayo has not yet publicly revealed his QB1—would only be a reality if the team was confident he’d be protected. Adding Aiyuk before fixing the line feels like a cart-before-the-horse situation.
“Coach Jerod Mayo & Co. were reportedly one of the teams most interested in adding Aiyuk to their roster, but Aiyuk seemingly didn’t share their desire. New England still needs a No. 1 receiver for Drake Maye, and if the team looks better than expected early in the season, perhaps Aiyuk could be swayed to change his mind.”
It’s a longshot, of course, but it is a nice thought nonetheless. The Patriots need a lot of work on the offensive side of the ball, especially on the offensive line, and the idea that Maye could win the job—Mayo has not yet publicly revealed his QB1—would only be a reality if the team was confident he’d be protected. Adding Aiyuk before fixing the line feels like a cart-before-the-horse situation.
“A devastating route runner and explosive threat, Brandon Aiyuk is one of the most efficient receivers in the game whose overall numbers are held back only by the offense he plays in and the sheer quantity of other options within it. Passes thrown his way last season generated a 126.8 passer rating.”
