For a minute there, it really seemed there was a chance the New England Patriots would land Brandon Aiyuk. Then, New England suffered a fate that’s become all too familiar in the post-Tom Brady era.
On Monday night, the Patriots reportedly joined the Cleveland Browns in convincing the San Francisco 49ers to agree on “frameworks” of an Aiyuk trade. All New England needed to do was lure Aiyuk with a lucrative contract extension. However, roughly 24 hours later, the Patriots bowed out of the Aiyuk sweepstakes.
So, what happened?
Patriots Reportedly Drop Out of Brandon Aiyuk Sweepstakes
By all indications, the Patriots were serious about acquiring Aiyuk; “aggressively” was the term used by ESPN’s Mike Reiss.
De facto general manager Eliot Wolf reportedly was willing to make Aiyuk one of the five highest-paid receivers in the NFL, and multiple reports indicated the Patriots were presenting the largest contract. They also satisfied San Francisco’s trade demands, with Kendrick Bourne and at least one high draft pick reportedly part of the package.
Jerod Mayo arrives … deflecting on Brandon Aiyuk topic. pic.twitter.com/rsF1UhBfev
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) August 6, 2024
But the tide began to turn Tuesday afternoon when ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the Niners had “re-engaged” with the Pittsburgh Steelers on Aiyuk trade talks. Fans began to fear that Aiyuk, who’d previously identified Pittsburgh as a preferred destination, was leveraging the Patriots.
Still, a subsequent report claimed New England wasn’t “giving up” in its Aiyuk pursuit. The Patriots had been after Aiyuk since before the 2024 NFL Draft, and a true No. 1 receiver, one capable of accelerating Drake Maye’s development, was within their grasp.
Then, late Tuesday night, the roller coaster came to a screeching halt.
“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,” Schefter wrote on the X platform. “Patriots are excited about their young receivers and want to focus on them.”
Hey, it was fun while it lasted.
Is there a chance the Patriots reverse course? Sure. After all, it took fewer than 12 hours for the Steelers to go from being non-factors to apparent favorites. Hell, we haven’t even reached the “mystery team” stage of the Aiyuk sweepstakes yet.
But as of Wednesday morning, the Aiyuk-Patriots dream is dead. Was it ever alive in the first place?
Why Did Patriots End Pursuit of Aiyuk?
There likely are multiple reasons for the Patriots dropping out of the Aiyuk bidding war. However, multiple reports indicate the 26-year-old just wasn’t interested in playing for New England.
Aiyuk doesn’t have an official no-trade clause, but he effectively has an unofficial one. If he tells an interested team he won’t sign a long-term extension, that team obviously won’t offer the 49ers a compelling trade package, and San Fran will focus on teams that can extend him.
Apparently, that’s what happened with the Patriots.
“The Patriots had an agreement in place with the 49ers and a large offer to Aiyuk on the table, but he did not show interest in going there,” NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco reported Tuesday night.
The Patriots had an agreement in place with the 49ers and a large offer to Aiyuk on the table, but he did not show interest in going there. https://t.co/A9saTjG2bI
— Matt Maiocco (@MaioccoNBCS) August 7, 2024
Schefter offered additional context during a late-night segment on ESPN.
“If Aiyuk doesn’t like the destination, he does not have to engage that particular team,” Schefter said. ” … (The Patriots) weren’t getting a good vibe here as they tried to conduct communication with Brandon Aiyuk and his agent. And the longer it went on, the worse they felt about it.
“And eventually they said, ‘What are we doing here? Let’s just focus in on the young receivers that we have.’ … He didn’t seem overly receptive to (playing in New England).”
Again, this story might not be over. In a piece published shortly before Schefter delivered his report, The San Francisco Chronicle’s Michael Silver suggested Aiyuk could have a change of heart.
“Thus far he has been hesitant about playing for the Patriots or Browns, but that could change,” Silver wrote Tuesday evening. “Joining the Steelers … might be more enticing.”
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The reporting since then has been definitive, and the Patriots would be justified in passing on a player who’d have the largest contract in franchise history despite not even wanting to be on the roster.
All Patriots fans can do now is wonder when they’ll return to being a destination, rather than a pawn.
PFN Analysis: Yet Another Hard Pill To Swallow for the Patriots
There was a time when the Patriots could put in minimal effort when recruiting star players. Tom Brady could send a DM, Bill Belichick could flash his Super Bowl rings, and that was that.
Those days are over.
In the last few years alone, the Patriots have come up short in four pursuits of star receivers: Aiyuk (2024), Calvin Ridley (2024), DeAndre Hopkins (2023), and Odell Beckham Jr. (2021).
With Beckham, it was about the Patriots no longer being Super Bowl contenders. He even said he would’ve chosen New England over the Los Angeles Rams if he’d been available “three years ago.”
With Hopkins, it was about money, and probably something else. With Ridley, it was about familial concerns — Robert Kraft admitted as much — and not wanting to be in the Northeast. With Aiyuk, it might’ve been a combination of all the aforementioned factors.
“He’s carefully weighing the options, considering which move would be the best for his young family and assessing the positives and negatives of each situation,” Silver wrote.
Of course, more money probably would’ve changed the outcome of all four situations. But the Patriots used to convince external and in-house players to take discounts; now, they must pay a premium.
There’s a clear undercurrent: These guys just don’t want to play in New England. And that’s a sobering thought for a franchise that’s only five years removed from its most recent championship, just drafted an elite quarterback prospect, and arguably is better than many fans realize.
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The Patriots will double down on their young receiving corps. And it’s true that rookies Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker, and sophomore slot weapon DeMario Douglas, form a more talented and intriguing trio than the Patriots have had at any point since Brady left. We might look up a year from now and say New England no longer needs someone like Aiyuk.
But make no mistake: The Patriots badly wanted Aiyuk, the feeling just wasn’t mutual. At this point, no one should be surprised.