by San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk is entering the final year of his contract and reportedly wants more than $25 million per season in his next deal.
Aiyuk requested a trade last week, making him a player to watch as NFL training camps begin this week.
The star receiver has drawn plenty of interest on the trade market ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft in late April. ProFootballTalk’s Mike Florio reported Saturday that multiple teams were interested in both trading Aiyuk and paying him what he wanted before the draft.
The New England Patriots were one of those teams, according to Florio. He reports that they offered a second-round pick for Aiyuk.
“There were five teams, we’re told, that were willing to pay Aiyuk what he wanted before the draft,” Florio wrote. “If they could have also reached acceptable trade terms with the 49ers, he would have been traded.
“That game didn’t happen. It’s unclear what the 49ers wanted at the time. They rejected a second-round offer from the Patriots. Other teams interested were, and may still be, the Steelers and Commanders.”
It’s unclear exactly what second-round pick the Patriots offered for Aiyuk, or whether they remain interested in a trade. They used their 2024 second-round pick (originally No. 34 overall) to select Washington receiver Ja’Lynn Polk at No. 37 overall. They also drafted UCF receiver Javon Baker in the fourth round.
That said, the Patriots still need a legitimate No. 1 receiver like Aiyuk. They have pretty good depth at receiver after re-signing Kendrick Bourne, signing KJ Osborn, and drafting Polk and Baker. DeMario Douglas is primed to break out in his second year, and veteran tight end Hunter Henry was also re-signed.
But Aiyuk is in a different class than the others. He’s a strong, physical receiver who can dominate the field and put up eye-popping numbers. He recorded 75 receptions for a career-high 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns in 16 games for the 49ers last season.
The Patriots still have about $43 million in salary cap room, nearly $7 million more than any other team, according to OverTheCap. They have the financial flexibility to pay Aiyuk what he’s asking.
The real question now is: Are the Patriots still interested in Aiyuk? And if so, are they willing to pay the price the 49ers have set for the talented receiver?
