Poll: Should Pats break the bank for Brandon Aiyuk?
Brandon Aiyuk has been a source of trade speculation all off-season as he's repeatedly been rebuffed by the Niners amid seeking a contract extension. Now, with reports that San Fran hasn't negotiated with the disgruntled wide receiver since May, Aiyuk has demanded a trade prior to camp opening next week.
Aiyuk, 26, is entering his 5th season in the NFL and is coming off a 75-catch year in which he accounted for 1,342 receiving yards and 7 TD in 16 games. He's slated to make $14.124mil in the final year of his rookie deal, while Spotrac gives him a projected market value of $26.5 million per year.
Per Spotrac's valuation system, Aiyuk projects towards a 4-year, $104 million extension with $66 million guaranteed. At the $26.5 million AAV figure, Aiyuk would slot as the 8th-highest paid WR in the NFL. For context, no player has ever changed teams the off-season after having as many yards as Aiyuk did last year for a Super Bowl team.
If there's one team out there who has the "cash to burn" on the talented wide receiver, it's the New England Patriots. Per @Patscap on X, New England's current cap number is $43,345,676. That's enough to absorb Aiyuk's 2024 salary three times over and the Pats project to have the most cap space of any team in the NFL entering next off-season, so there's plenty in the bank to give him the $100+ million extension he seeks.
Plus, we know the Pats have interest. Per Josina Anderson, "I'm told within the last couple of weeks, the Patriots reached out to the 49ers inquiring about WR Brandon Aiyuk again and were told the talented wide receiver was not being traded at the time, per source."
In April, Sports illustrated projected Aiyuk's trade value as either a 2nd and 3rd rounder or a 1st and a 4th. It should be noted, that was a pre-draft valuation, with the higher pick being this year's and the later round being 2025, so things could look a bit different now.
Make no mistake, Aiyuk would be a game-changer for New England's offense. A bona fide No. 1 receiver, Kendrick Bourne and Pop Douglas then become dynamic 2nd and 3rd options, while the rookies can do their thing with less attention on them as well.
It's just a matter of the price. So, what would you be willing to give up to get him to Foxborough?