The Patriots seem to have pulled the plug on their pursuit of 49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk. This comes after the 49ers softened to the idea of pursuing a trade deal for the WR after their own negotiations with the player broke down.
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The Pats had been actively seeking to acquire Aiyuk for several months, and even had the framework of a deal in place with the 49ers but decided to withdraw from negotiations as Aiyuk “did not show interest in going” to New England.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that New England was not “getting a great vibe” from Aiyuk and his camp, and decided to withdraw and focus on the “young receivers they have.”
Aiyuk is looking to become one of the league’s highest-paid receivers after the market was reset once more this off-season, and 21 WRs are now ahead of him in terms of compensation. However, Ari Meirov reported that the Patriots “were willing to offer the most money per year to Brandon Aiyuk of all the teams pursuing him. New England was believed to be offering north of $30M per season.”
Reportedly, Aiyuk had no interest in being part of a team that is in its rebuilding stages. It’s truly a shame for the Patriots as they could’ve used a strong wideout on their roster, with no player surpassing 1,000 receiving yards since Julian Edelman in 2019.
As Schefter explained, any potential suitors for Aiyuk will have to satisfy both his and the 49ers’ demands, and with Aiyuk seemingly getting picky with where he wants to go and how much he wants to be paid, it might prove to be a difficult trade.
What does Aiyuk’s future look like?
While the 49ers had previously completely denied wanting to trade Aiyuk, they seem to be softening to the idea of bidding goodbye to him.
As the trade discussions with the Patriots have ceased, the 49ers are left to consider other potential suits. The Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers remain in the mix, with both teams reportedly having frameworks for deals in place as well. Its unclear whether the 49ers themselves care to retain Aiyuk any longer.
Many analysts see to believe the 49ers letting go of Aiyuk will be a big mistake for the franchise hoping to finally win a Super Bowl. The Athletic’s Tim Kawakami called it a “a massive misreading and misplaying of the entire negotiation” and “devastating step backward” for the team. Till the time this chapter closes, Aiyuk’s trade remains the biggest story of the offseason.
