Brandon Aiyuk could have a team before the regular season starts this year.
The 49ers have been negotiating the groundwork for a trade with the Patriots and Browns for the receiver in recent hours, initially reported by Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area.
Adam Schefter also mentioned that the Steelers no longer appear to be a destination for Aiyuk at this point. So it’s a two-team race at this point.
Patriots Go All In On Brandon Aiyuk
Schefter reported that the Pats “have been trying to acquire Aiyuk for months” since February of this year, a long and slow process, but with the firm intention of surrounding QB Drake Maye with better talent.
”The Patriots’ long pursuit of [Brandon] Aiyuk dates back to February… one of their goals has been to surround [Drake Maye] with more talent to help his development.”
This time around, New England is hoping to have better luck than in their failed negotiations with WR Calvin Ridley, who fell short on a new contract and ended up leaving for the Tennessee Titans last March.
Brandon Aiyuk is set to make $14.124 million this year alone, the product of a fifth-year option exercised by the 49ers. But ESPN explained that there are teams capable of “paying Aiyuk more than double that” which is around $28-29 million annually.
Ultimately, whether it’s New England or Cleveland, the Niners don’t care because while their primary plan is to retain him, "they also have to be comfortable with any trade compensation" according to Schefter, given that they are open to negotiations.
Where do you think they will end up sending Brandon Aiyuk? Which team would you like to see him on? You can leave us your comments below this article or through our social media posts.