Greg Bedard of the Boston Sports Journal believes the Patriots are sniffing around for a No. 1 option for Drake Maye, and that could be Brandon Aiyuk
San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch has never been one to shy away from admitting the Niners are always listening when they get offers. Lynch specifically said, “You get calls, and you always listen.”
We saw the team honor Deebo Samuel’s trade request this offseason. There’s another wideout on the team who was linked in multiple trade rumors last season before he signed a massive extension.
After a season-ending injury that made the 49ers passing attack look mortal, Brandon Aiyuk is once again finding himself in trade rumors. Greg Bedard of the Boston Sports Journal believes the New England Patriots are looking for a No. 1 receiver to pair with stud quarterback Drake Maye, and Aiyuk could be an option:
“Just like last offseason, I still believe in my bones the Patriots will find that receiver via trade, among the likes of AJ Brown and Brandon Aiyuk. The latter is the best option, given the firesale in San Francisco, but he won’t be ready until at least midseason after major knee surgery.”
For what it’s worth, this is the same person who was adamant that the Patriots were Plan A for Jimmy Garoppolo a few offseasons ago.
If the Eagles traded Brown, who signed an extension in April 2024, they would lose $31 million in dead money this season and $20 million next season.
It doesn’t get much better for the 49ers, who would have $18.4 million in dead money and lose $7.6 million in cap savings by trading Aiyuk this year. In 2026, they’d have $13.8 million in dead money. They’d also be without the player who elevated their passing attack to levels it had never reached.
It’s one thing to be upset about handing out a contract to a player you weren’t able to maximize his value due to an injury. But it would be quite the prisoner-of-the-moment decision to trade that 27-year-old when there is no viable replacement for him on the roster.
The only logical reasoning would be if the 49ers were getting a first-round pick or related value in return. If New England wants to give up Christan Gonzalez and another pick, then Lynch should entertain the idea. Otherwise, Aiyuk is off-limits since there’s no football reason to move him.
These hypothetical trades likely won’t go anywhere, but Aiyuk’s contract and the gaping size hole he’d leave at a premium position make it less likely San Francisco would deal him. New England was also a team Aiyuk eliminated from the running after he was given permission to seek a trade last August.