Is there a chance Brandon Aiyuk ends up with the Patriots after all?
New England appeared to be in hot pursuit of Aiyuk when the wide receiver asked for a trade out of San Francisco. The Patriots and the 49ers reportedly even discussed the parameters of a potential blockbuster trade, but Eliot Wolf and company eventually backed out after Aiyuk seemingly showed no interest in taking his talents to Foxboro, Mass.
Nonetheless, ESPN's Bill Barnwell identified New England as a potential landing spot for the 2020 first-round pick when he analyzed players who potentially could be traded in the near future.
"Coach Jerod Mayo and company were reportedly one of the teams most interested in adding Aiyuk to their roster, but Aiyuk seemingly didn't share their desire," Barnwell wrote in a column published Monday. "New England still needs a No. 1 receiver for Drake Maye, and if the team looks better than expected early in the season, perhaps Aiyuk could be swayed to change his mind."
Aiyuk and the 49ers appeared to be on better terms in recent weeks, but it's unclear if CeeDee Lamb's new monstrous deal with the Dallas Cowboys sparked more restlessness for the Arizona State product in the Bay Area. The Patriots have the salary cap space to pay Aiyuk, but it's hard to envision the 26-year-old changing his perception of New England given the way things are trending for Mayo's team.
Perhaps the only saving grace could be Drake Maye, who potentially could light it up and shift the narrative if given the opportunity to run the offense sooner rather than later.
