A bombshell report got the NFL world into a frenzy Monday, and it got Patriots fans fantasizing about Brandon Aiyuk in a New England uniform.
NBC Sports Bay Area's Matt Maiocco reported the Cleveland Browns and Patriots have negotiated a framework for an Aiyuk trade. The reported deal would have New England send a package that includes Kendrick Bourne, and it includes a potential contract extension the 26-year-old is seeking this offseason.
Maiocco added the 49ers permitted Aiyuk to negotiate potential contracts with the Browns, Patriots, Washington Commanders and Pittsburgh Steelers, and it's up to the star wide receiver to decide which deal he prefers.
The Pittsburgh Steelers reportedly are out of trade negotiations, and the Patriots and Browns seem to be the top two favorites to land Aiyuk if he decides to leave San Fran.
That brings up an interesting thought exercise. What if we got into the minds of Patriots executives Matt Groh and Eliot Wolf to construct an elevator pitch for Aiyuk? Let's let out four reasons why New England is the best place for Aiyuk to sign.
Legendary status
The Niners were the hot team in the 1980s with Joe Montana and into the '90s with Steve Young, but Tom Brady helped the Patriots become the new hotness at the beginning of the 21st century. The Boston region is the best place to build your legacy as an athlete. Jayson Tatum was a fringe top-15 player before he won an NBA title, but after he helped the Boston Celtics win Banner 18, there's national outcry over his Team USA status at the Olympics. Randy Moss was so dominant in New England that he still is revered as a franchise legend despite his short tenure. Whether you're a homegrown athlete or someone acquired via trade, Patriots fans gravitate toward winners, and if Aiyuk wants a beloved legacy, New England is the place to do it rather than get lost in Los Angeles sports.
Alpha role
Kyle Shanahan is the master at manufacturing touches, but there still are a lot of mouths to feed in the 49ers. George Kittle might be unselfish, but you need to give him the ball to truly win big games and Christian McCaffrey got his contract extension, so the ball will continue to go to him and Deebo Samuel needs his touches, too. That's not much of a problem with the Patriots. They, at best, have a lot of No. 2 receivers. If Aiyuk wants that dominant role to get him into more conversations as the best wide receiver in the league, he can be the No. 1 guy for a marquee franchise.
Drake Maye is better than Brock Purdy
To add to the last point, Aiyuk could walk into a just as good and arguably even better quarterback situation. Is Purdy good? To an extent, yes. He's excellent in Shanahan's system and competently gets the ball to the team's best players. However, Maye has the potential to be even better and become a true elevator of talent. Having Maye as your quarterback also is a better prospect than Deshaun Watson. The Browns still are unsure if he's good, and it's not the best look that Joe Flacco played better than him last season. If quarterback is a sticking point, you're not walking into a worse situation with the Patriots.
Long-term outlook
The 49ers are coming off another loss in the Super Bowl, but how long is their window open? They still have to pay Trent Williams and Purdy, and the Dallas Cowboys have shown that you can't pay everyone. San Francisco will be favorites again this season, but that isn't going to last long unless it makes drastic changes. New England is in the beginning of a rebuild. It isn't tied to anyone long-term, but Aiyuk is a good start. If he wants to jump off the 49ers train before it crashes into inevitable salary cap constraints, it'd be best to do so sooner rather than later.
