Those Brandon Aiyuk-New England Patriots rumors are about to get the Undertaker GIF treatment.
Aiyuk reportedly has requested a trade from the San Francisco 49ers amid his search for a new contract, according to a Tuesday report from NFL Media’s Mike Garafolo. The receiver-needy Patriots have been connected to Aiyuk all offseason, with New England reportedly exploring a trade during the 2024 NFL Draft. And the Patriots surely will be floated as a potential landing spot following Aiyuk’s trade request.
Source: #49ers All-Pro WR Brandon Aiyuk has officially requested a trade after an offseason of unsuccessful attempts to reach an extension.
Despite a recent meeting, the Niners haven’t been willing to engage in negotiations since May so Aiyuk has respectfully asked out. pic.twitter.com/EWxYMvsHch
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) July 16, 2024
Aiyuk has cast doubt on his 49ers future throughout the offseason, even going so far as to discuss potential destinations. However, a trade is hardly guaranteed.
Remember, the 49ers extended Deebo Samuel in early August two years ago after he requested to be moved, and they re-upped Nick Bosa last September amid similar trade rumors. Plus, the Niners reportedly have told teams they aren’t dealing Aiyuk.
Nevertheless, the 26-year-old Aiyuk is one of the best receivers in football and is coming off consecutive 1,000-yard seasons. With Drake Maye’s development a top priority, the Patriots should try to make a deal.
Let’s look at three potential trade packages.
3 Potential Brandon Aiyuk Trade Packages for Patriots
Note: All of these packages are presented with the underlying assumption the Patriots would immediately sign Aiyuk to a lucrative contract extension, making him one of the highest-paid wideouts in football. That’s a prerequisite for any deal taking place.
Trade 1
Patriots get: Brandon Aiyuk, 2025 Round 7 pick
49ers get: CB Jonathan Jones, 2025 Round 2 pick, 2025 Round 6 pick
This would be a fair deal for both sides. The Patriots get their No. 1 receiver, and the Niners, who need secondary help, get an underrated and versatile corner in Jones, who can also play safety. New England might be squeezed into surrendering a fifth-rounder instead of the sixth-round pick, but that shouldn’t hold up this trade.
Parting with Jones wouldn’t be easy for New England, as he’s a model Patriot and their second-best corner. But they might want to transition toward a youth movement in the secondary, making Jones expendable.
Trade 2
Patriots get: Brandon Aiyuk, 2025 Round 5 pick
49ers get: EDGE Matthew Judon, 2025 Round 2 pick, 2026 Round 5 pick
Now this would be a spicy trade, one requiring both teams to dish out new contracts.
Matthew Judon, who isn’t guaranteed anything in 2024 and will hit free agency next spring, has said all the right things publicly, but he reportedly won’t play under his current contract. New England has young, intriguing depth on the edge and could decide to move on from Judon, who’ll turn 32 in August.
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As for the Niners, they could sell the deal to their fans by acquiring an elite talent in Judon, who’d make San Fran’s defense even more explosive. Yes, the 49ers have great pass rushers in Leonard Floyd and Nick Bosa, but Judon arguably is the superior sack artist.
You could quibble over the draft-pick compensation, as including Judon arguably should enable the Patriots to part with a third-rounder rather than a second-round pick. But we’re just not sure San Francisco will accept any deal that doesn’t include at least a Round 2 selection.
Trade 3
Patriots get: Brandon Aiyuk
49ers get: JuJu Smith-Schuster, 2025 Round 2 pick, 2025 Round 4 pick
Trading Aiyuk would leave the Niners with a glaring hole on their receiver depth chart. An aging Smith-Schuster wouldn’t replicate Aiyuk’s production, but playing in Kyle Shanahan’s offense could rejuvenate his career.
Yes, Smith-Schuster’s injury history is concerning, but he’s just 27 years old and posted 933 yards in 2022. There might be something left in the tank.
Meanwhile, the Patriots would be forced to give up better draft-pick compensation in exchange for offloading Smith-Schuster’s bad contract onto the Niners. But the trade would be worth it.