Patriots: Is a trade for 49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk in the cards?
By Mike Luciano
The New England Patriots would do well to add another wide receiver at the trade deadline, as getting more targets for Mac Jones to connect with can only improve his downfield performance.
With N’Keal Harry potentially on his way out, Bill Belichick should give Kyle Shanahan, John Lynch, and the San Francisco 49ers a call in order to pry Brandon Aiyuk away from them.
Aiyuk, who replaced Harry at Arizona State, was not only picked by the 49ers in the first round, but he was selected after they traded tons of draft capital to acquire him 25th overall.
After totaling 825 yards from scrimmage and seven touchdowns as a rookie, Aiyuk looked poised for a breakout season in 2021.
For no discernable reason, other than some vague quotes about “grinding” from Shanahan, Aiyuk has been relegated to backup duty, catching just nine passes for 96 yards this season. San Francisco has fallen out of love with him, and New England stands to benefit from that friction.
Aiyuk could easily be on the trade market, as San Francisco needs to get some picks to potentially find a replacement. The Patriots are in a position to get a little frisky at the deadline, and that could involve getting Aiyuk in order to add a whole new dimension to their passing attack.
The Patriots should send a pick to the 49ers for Brandon Aiyuk. They don't use him anyway and the Pats are still in the wildcard race + could use more receiver help.
— Brett Kollmann (@BrettKollmann) October 25, 2021
If New England gave up a 2nd for Mo Sanu, they can absolutely give up a 2nd for Aiyuk and feel good about it.
The Patriots should consider a Brandon Aiyuk trade.
In many ways, Aiyuk is the anti-Harry. While Harry is a bigger receiver that struggled at getting separation, Aiyuk was one of the shiftiest receivers in this class, and when Shanahan used him during his rookie season, he looked lethal at times on shorter routes that require explosion.
Aiyuk, who got time over Kendrick Bourne on the West Coast and represents a bit of a higher-ceiling option than Nelson Agholor, would only cost a few Day 2 or Day 3 picks. Speedy enough to stretch the field and a game-changing player when he’s running with the ball in his hands, he’s perfect for a young quarterback like Jones.
Bigger problem with Brandon Aiyuk isn’t his lack of separation.
— Akash Anavarathan (@akashanav) October 19, 2021
It’s the fact that he doesn’t have a single target this season at or behind the LOS.
Meaning no manufactured touches for one of the best YAC players in the NFL. That’s just inexcusable for his talent.
If Aiyuk comes to town, putting him in the slot alongside Bourne and Agholor with Jakobi Meyers relegated to WR4 duty would instantly give them an upper echelon collection of receivers and tight ends for Jones to throw too. Aiyuk is still just 23, so his best football is very clearly in the windshield.
Some Pats fans might have PTSD after Belichick traded a second-round pick for Mohamed Sanu, but Aiyuk is a potential budding star that could be available for pennies on the dollar. That is always worth trading a pick for, especially when Aiyuk has already shown so much in San Francisco.