There was considerable speculation surrounding the Patriots this offseason regarding how they might approach adding the caliber of wide receiver the offense needed. The belief was that they would have to pull off a blockbuster trade to acquire the talent they desired, especially since the free agency class was continuing to thin out as the process progressed.
Their trade options followed suit, too, with Deebo Samuel being traded to the Commanders and D.K. Metcalf going to the Steelers. That inevitably left virtually no one available for the Patriots to seriously consider, even more so since most players who would fit their needs were not on the trade block.
That put a guy like 49ers' Brandon Aiyuk at the forefront, just like last season. Despite the receiver rejecting their trade offer just one year ago, rumors have been circulating about the team re-connecting with Aiyuk, with more chatter suggesting that San Francisco is willing to deal with him just one year after signing him to an extension.
Those feelings have allegedly since changed, potentially in part due to Aiyuk suffering an ACL injury last season and the 49ers being in cap peril, forcing them to undergo a mini-rebuild this offseason. However, the latest update suggests that Aiyuk will not be playing for another team in 2025, effectively ruling out a potential plan by the Patriots to add even more offensive talent to their roster.
Brandon Aiyuk is due for a bonus this week, taking him off the table for the Patriots to trade for
Although he isn't expected to be ready to return to the field until mid-season this fall, the Patriots were reportedly still kicking the tires on Aiyuk again this year, after trade talks dominated the offseason.
Some of that chatter slowed down once they signed Stefon Diggs last week, but because he's likely a short-term answer at receiver, the idea of adding Aiyuk still seemed plausible. That is, until NFL insider Adam Schefter revealed a deadline to finalize a deal, as he is due for a bonus on April 1.
49ers owe WR Brandon Aiyuk a $22.85 million bonus if he’s on their roster Tuesday, April 1. Once the 49ers pay that bonus, any trade talks for Aiyuk would be off, and he would be expected to spend the 2025 season in San Francisco. So Tuesday looms as Aiyuk’s unofficial trade… pic.twitter.com/spfecSg4Qi
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 30, 2025
Related: Patriots look to have avoided disaster by not trading for top wide receiver
The Patriots have enough cap space to take on his contract if a deal is done, but there hasn't been any indication of that happening anytime soon. Now that they know they have until Tuesday to make it happen, it seems increasingly unlikely that Aiyuk will be a New England Patriots for the 2025 season.
Fortunately, acquiring him isn't as dire as it was ten days ago. Now that they have Diggs for Drake Maye to work with, there is a little less urgency to add a top receiver to the roster.
All signs point to addressing that need through the draft, especially with CB/WR Travis Hunter still in play for the fourth overall pick, or there could be a trade opportunity that arises later in the offseason that could pique the new regime's interest.
At least, for now, they are satisfied with Diggs and the positive impact he will have on the offense moving forward, and they know they can cross Aiyuk off the list of possibilities.