The longer Brandon Aiyuk doesn't have a contract extension with the San Francisco 49ers, the more intense the trade rumors and speculation surrounding his future might become.
The star wideout is entering the final year of his rookie contract. He's due for a huge raise soon.
There was a report over the weekend that Aiyuk had requested a trade from the 49ers, but his agent denied that with a post Sunday afternoon on X.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Boston sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
Patriots wide receiver Kendrick Bourne responded to a post on X about the Aiyuk report, writing "@Patriots let’s get em! You getting all the targets u want! 👀👀" Bourne's post was written about a half hour before Aiyuk's agent denied the trade request report.
The 49ers have an expensive team. They have 11 players with a salary cap hit of $9.2 million or more for the 2024 season, including Aiyuk at $14.124 million, per Spotrac. Given Aiyuk's age (26) and talent level, he could probably command as much as $20-plus million per year in his next contract.
He's a better player than Calvin Ridley, who just signed a four-year, $92 million contract ($23 million per season) with the Tennessee Titans in free agency last month.
More Patriots coverage
If Aiyuk does become available, the Patriots would be wise to call the 49ers and try to put together a strong offer. The Patriots desperately need an elite WR to upgrade an offense that ranked tied for last in scoring last season at 13.8 points per game.
Aiyuk is a top 10 wideout after a fantastic 2023 campaign during which he tallied 75 receptions for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns.
Bourne is currently the best wide receiver on the Patriots' depth chart, but he's also recovering from a torn ACL suffered in October of last year. The Patriots could also target a wideout early in the 2024 NFL Draft, but even in that scenario, trading for a veteran like Aiyuk would still be a great move.