Patriots Linked to Major Trade with 49ers
While the New England Patriots haven’t made any trades this offseason yet, there’s speculation they could make a significant move during the NFL Draft.
The Patriots have bolstered their roster with some notable free-agent signings, but there are still several areas in need of improvement. One such area is wide receiver, despite the addition of Stefon Diggs. A name that keeps coming up in trade rumors is San Francisco 49ers star Brandon Aiyuk.
ESPN’s Bill Barnwell has proposed a trade scenario where the Patriots send their fourth overall pick and offensive lineman Cole Strange to the 49ers in exchange for Aiyuk and the 11th overall pick. This would give New England a strong wide receiver duo in Aiyuk and Diggs.
Barnwell suggests that with Diggs under a three-year deal, the Patriots could instantly upgrade from having one of the league’s weakest receiving corps to a top-10 group. He also notes that with Aiyuk’s four-year deal still in place, New England could have him as a long-term solution. Moving to the 11th overall pick would still allow the Patriots to target offensive line help, possibly adding a player like Will Campbell (LSU) or Armand Membou (Missouri). If this trade went through, it could represent a dream offseason for the Patriots.
However, there’s a major complication: Aiyuk’s $22.5 million roster bonus kicked in on Tuesday, making a trade more challenging for the 49ers. Additionally, both Aiyuk and Diggs are recovering from torn ACLs, and bringing in two receivers coming off such serious injuries could pose a significant risk for the Patriots.
While the idea of pairing Aiyuk and Diggs sounds exciting, it may not be the best decision for New England. If Travis Hunter is available at No. 4, the Patriots might be better off selecting him and focusing on other needs.
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