The 49ers reportedly have the framework of a Brandon Aiyuk trade with both the Patriots and the Browns. Felger, Greg Bedard and John Tomase have instant reaction on BST
The ball is in Brandon Aiyuk's court, it appears.
The San Francisco 49ers have negotiated the "framework" of trades with both the New England Patriots and Cleveland Browns involving Aiyuk, NBC Sports Bay Area's Matt Maiocco reported Monday night. According to Maiocco, the Patriots and Browns have made trade proposals to San Francisco that the 49ers actually have accepted, and it's up to Aiyuk to essentially choose where he wants to play.
On its face, this doesn't seem ideal for the Patriots. Cleveland is a legitimate playoff contender that went 11-6 last season and boasts a Pro Bowl-caliber quarterback in Deshaun Watson. New England went 4-13 last season, projects to be one of the worst teams in the league in 2024 and has a QB duo of journeyman veteran Jacoby Brissett and unpolished rookie Drake Maye.
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So, why would Aiyuk choose the Patriots over the Browns?
During Monday's edition of Boston Sports Tonight, Greg Bedard of the Boston Sports Journal pointed out that by demanding a trade from the 49ers -- who just reached the Super Bowl for the second time in five years -- Aiyuk signaled he's more interested in maximizing his next contract than winning a championship in the immediate future.
"I think he's made it clear with his stance that forcing his way out of San Francisco, which this is close to a Super Bowl -- it's not about winning," Bedard told co-hosts Michael Felger and John Tomase.
"He is all about the money, wants the contract, doesn't care where he goes. It's between the Browns and the Patriots. I mean, we're not exactly talking dynasties these days."
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To Bedard's point, Cleveland's 11-6 campaign was just its second winning season in the last 16 years. The Browns have reached the playoffs just twice in the last two decades and have a long history of futility.
"I give the Patriots a chance to get (Aiyuk)," Felger added. "Any other team -- if it were Kansas City or Buffalo, a true contender, or Miami, a nice place to live -- Cleveland? I think the Patriots can compete with Cleveland as a destination."
In this case, New England's best asset might be money. Aiyuk, who's set to make $14.1 million on the final year of his rookie contract, is seeking a lucrative new contract that would make him one of the highest-paid wideouts in the league. And according to Maiocco, both the Patriots and Browns are willing to pay up.
"If he wants to be paid like one of the top receivers in the league, I’m almost certain he would get that kind of money -- definitely from the Patriots," Maiocco said on a recent episode of NBC Sports Bay Area's 49ers Talk podcast. "I think the Patriots are willing to pay a lot. And I think the Browns are willing to pay more than the 49ers are offering."
The Patriots currently own the second-most cap space in the NFL at $43.2 million, per OverTheCap, while the Browns have $29.6 million in available cap space. Cleveland could clear cap space by sending wideout Amari Cooper to San Francisco in its trade for Aiyuk, but the same goes for New England, which could include receiver Kendrick Bourne in its deal for Aiyuk.
So, if the Patriots can position themselves to offer Aiyuk more money than the Browns -- Bedard suggested a deal that would send Bourne and disgruntled pass-rusher Matthew Judon to San Francisco in addition to a 2025 second-round pick -- perhaps that'd be enough to land Aiyuk's services.
It's worth debating how much the Patriots should pay for Aiyuk, who racked up a career-high 1,342 receiving yards last season and would be the team's clear No. 1 receiver but still wouldn't get them close to playoff contention. If Eliot Wolf and the front office want to acquire a legitimate weapon for Maye and the offense, however, now might be the time to strike.
Check out the video player above or the YouTube video below for more instant reaction to Maiocco's report on Boston Sports Tonight.
