Patriots might lose their chance to pull off much-needed blockbuster trade

The Brandon Aiyuk saga in San Francisco continues as teams near the start of training camp at the end of the month, which seems like good news for a team like the Patriots, who might be interested in getting a trade done before the season begins.

There have been rumors regarding Jerod Mayo and Eliot Wolf's desire to deliver a blockbuster trade for a top wide receiver, with the latest being their alleged interest in Aiyuk around the time of the draft in April. Despite several teams inquiring about the possibility, the 49ers have been reluctant to entertain any conversations about trading the 26-year-old.

Although that can be considered playing hardball, GM John Lynch's refusal to discuss anything about a trade with the Patriots, one of the most equipped teams to give the 49ers what they'd want in return for Aiyuk, says a lot about their intentions regarding his future.

Based on their lack of success in negotiating a long-term deal and Aiyuk's controversial social media activity about his status with the team, it appears as though he is more available than San Francisco wants to lead.

However, according to the most recent reports, that might not be the case for much longer.

Patriots might lose their chance to pull off much-needed blockbuster trade

Plenty has been said about the behind-the-scenes work between Aiyuk and the 49ers this offseason, but the latest reporting from NFL insider Jordan Schultz suggests there is a mutual interest in keeping the receiver on the team.

During his appearance on FS1's "The Herd" this week, Schultz claims the 49ers want to keep Aiyuk and references his importance to the team's Super Bowl run last year, stating he believes Aiyuk would ideally like to stay in San Francisco.

His reporting seemed to be further proven accurate by Aiyuk's teammate George Kittle, who spoke about what he sees happening regarding the receiver's contract status during an appearance on The Rich Eisen Show on Thursday.

Kittle believes something will get done this offseason that will inevitably mean Aiyuk stays a 49er next season, citing his and other teammates' late offseason deals as a reason he hasn't lost hope.

If there's any truth to what Kittle and Schultz are saying, the Patriots don't have much time left to try and strike up a deal. Or, it might be too late already.

The need for a clear WR1 on the offense has been a talking point all offseason, or even the last several years, and it remains true heading into training camp. But there is talk about Mayo and Wolf choosing to hold off on finding one until next offseason when they have even more cap space to use and a better idea of what their team will look like.

While that makes sense, the Patriots won't have many options next year, as most of the top-ranked receivers have already received extensions or new big-money contracts. That leaves them relying solely on the draft or signing/trading for a riskier player, hoping he will be what the offense needs.

It's a sticky situation, and the ideal scenario would be for one of their already-rostered players to morph into the WR1 they need, especially if a blockbuster trade isn't even a consideration right now.

More Patriots coverage: