Going back all the way to the last season that the Patriots had Tom Brady under center, fans have been begging for a clear WR1 for the offense to work with, which would probably only be accomplished with a blockbuster trade.
There haven't been many moments in the years since that that appeared to be a realistic scenario, but that changed during the 2024 offseason, when the new Jerod Mayo and Eliot Wolf staff went all-in to get Brandon Aiyuk, a move that most Patriots fans were excited about until the deal was eventually rescinded.
Aiyuk wanted nothing to do with New England at the time, since they didn't have their quarterback (yet) and had a first-time head coach and an inexperienced staff, and, in hindsight, it looked like a good decision.
However, it didn't quiet the demand from fans wanting to see the receiver on the team, even after he received an extension from the 49ers not long after.
That sentiment has since changed over the past two years for a number of reasons, most recently due to the big-time trade for AJ Brown, who fans have longed for since Bill Belichick passed on him during the 2019 draft. Beyond that is the ongoing drama with Aiyuk and the 49ers, which has gotten so bad that executives now feel he is untradeable
Patriots should get a pat on the back for taking their trade offer off the table for Brandon Aiyuk
During a recent appearance on SportsCenter, NFL insider Jeremy Fowler revealed the latest that he's heard about Aiyuk, including the negative reaction he is receiving around the league for recent antics that have reportedly made him impossible for GM John Lynch to reach.
He is now considered "untradeable" in the eyes of many, and if this is the kind of behavior the Patriots were going to be dealing with, they're fortunate they didn't acquire him two years ago.
"I talked to two rival executives who believe that he's simply untradeable right now; that it's going to be hard to move on because of the knee issue, didn't play at all last year. He's kind of ghosted the 49ers at times; they haven't really had a lot of communication with him. And then you've got the contract.
So, if he is released at some point this summer, the 49ers have a clear runway that can save about $20 million on the cap. There would be interest at that point certainly; maybe they can salvage a trade. Probably not is my feeling right now."
If things went sour, which you'd assume they wouldn't, given that the Patriots were just in the Super Bowl, but if they had, it's clear that it would be an ugly situation in Foxboro that they would have no desire to deal with.
Aiyuk has made it that way for the 49ers, for whatever reason, and now he's not viewed in the same light he once was, even as recently as two years ago. It could even put off the Commanders, who have long been the most probable team to engage in serious trade talks, which would be a nightmare for Aiyuk, as he is close friends with quarterback Jayden Daniels.
The current situation could derail that, or maybe he believes it will fast-track him to Washington before the upcoming season starts.
Regardless, the Patriots are fortunate to have avoided this drama and can instead enjoy having AJ Brown on the roster.
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