It was just one year ago that the Patriots were heavily pursuing some of the top free agents, hoping to rebuild their team into a powerhouse competitor to regain the AFC East and help rookie quarterback Drake Maye start his NFL career on the right foot.
That didn't work too well, though, particularly with their interest in wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, who demanded a trade from the 49ers.
Jerod Mayo and Eliot Wolf went all-in on an offer to get the superstar in the door, only for rumors to state that Aiyuk refused to be traded to New England, naming his preferred team to be the Steelers. That led Wolf to withdraw the offer, and many Patriots fans were not pleased, since the offense really needed that caliber of receiver.
But that's looking like a blessing in disguise in more ways than one, with the latest update on Aiyuk's status with the 49ers looking like an absolute nightmare the Patriots are fortunate not to be dealing with.
Brandon Aiyuk's drama with the 49ers makes the Patriots look even smarter for backing out of their trade offer
Since suffering an ACL injury midseason last year, the saga between Aiyuk and the 49ers has been an unraveling drama that could have been totally avoided.
Whatever the reason is for the relationship deteriorating is unclear, and head coach Kyle Shanahan didn't have a whole lot to say after they placed Aiyuk on the reserve/left list, but one thing is clear: the Patriots lucked out on giving up on their pursuit of Aiyuk and eventually signing Stefon Diggs this offseason.
“We haven’t seen him in forever. I haven’t seen him in a month. Hasn’t been an issue with our team at all. We’ve been plugging away. No big deal.”
— 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) December 15, 2025
Kyle Shanahan on the team putting Brandon Aiyuk on the reserve/left team list pic.twitter.com/EddtySkWFV
This is a headache that would have been a nightmare for Mike Vrabel and Co. to deal with, even if there is certainly an argument to make that this might not have happened if Aiyuk were on the Patriots.
Regardless, there's still a chance the same situation could have unfolded here, and that would be a distraction that they don't need at this point in the season, particularly with the playoffs coming into focus.
Although it's unfortunate they weren't able to get a player like Aiyuk on the team, and they could benefit from his production if he were, it's much better that they avoided what could have happened, which is only worse now that it looks like he's going to miss the entire season.
There is a chance he will become available this spring, and maybe that will be a good time for the Patriots to consider signing him. But they'll also have to keep in mind how this year with the 49ers has gone with him, and whether they want to deal with that possibility in Foxboro at some point.