The Brandon Aiyuk saga finally ended last week when the star wide receiver and the San Francisco 49ers came to an agreement on a four-year contract worth $120 million, including $76 million guaranteed.
Aiyuk had drawn interest on the trade market from teams like the New England Patriots, Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers.
Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer reported last weekend on NBC Sports Boston's Sports Sunday that the Patriots offered the 49ers a 2025 second-round pick, a 2026 fourth-round pick and veteran wideout Kendrick Bourne in exchange for Aiyuk. The only problem was getting Aiyuk to agree to come to New England on a new contract.
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Breer also reported the Patriots offered Aiyuk a three-year deal worth $90 million and a four-year contract that averaged $32.4 million per year. Neither one was enough to entice Aiyuk to come to Foxboro.
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But what about the guaranteed money? This figure is often the most important when analyzing contract offers.
Breer said Thursday on 98.5 The Sports Hub's Zolak & Bertrand that the Patriots were willing to go above $80 million in guaranteed money in their offer to Aiyuk.
"The Patriots' guarantee exceeded $80 million. It was between $80 million and $90 million. It exceeded $80 million," Breer said. "It was well over $80 million. I would tell you this, too, the first three years were virtually guaranteed. … The Patriots' practical guarantee was well over $80 million.
"Again, I'll say it one more time because I said it on Sports Sunday -- if this was about the money, the Patriots won in every single way. This was not about money. Brandon Aiyuk never wanted to leave San Francisco."
Based on all these reports, the Patriots clearly made a serious push for Aiyuk, it just didn't work out.
Failing to acquire Aiyuk leaves the Patriots without a true No. 1 wide receiver entering Sunday's Week 1 game against the Bengals in Cincinnati. The hope for the Patriots is that one of their young wideouts -- such as DeMario Douglas or rookie Ja'Lynn Polk -- develops into that kind of player.
The Patriots also could have more than $70 million in salary cap space next offseason (per OverTheCap) to sign or trade for an elite wideout.