Brandon Aiyuk Trade Rumors | Patriots, Browns In The Mix

There’s been mounting speculation about Brandon Aiyuk’s future with the San Francisco 49ers, and now it appears the wide receiver may be on the move in the coming days or hours.

According to multiple reports, the 49ers have permitted Aiyuk to seek a contract with other teams. The Cleveland Browns and New England Patriots have already agreed upon trade frameworks with the 49ers and are now open to negotiating with Aiyuk. 

Initially, four teams were considered serious trade partners for the 49ers in hopes of landing Aiyuk. However, the Washington Commanders are no longer in the mix, having pulled out of trade talks. Sources confirmed that the Pittsburgh Steelers also bowed out after refusing to meet the 49ers’ trade demands.

The Browns and Patriots have presented their best offers to Aiyuk’s representatives and have submitted trade proposals that the 49ers have accepted. In return, the 49ers are expected to receive a veteran wide receiver and a package of draft picks from either team.

So what could each team offer the 49ers in return for a young No. 1 wide receiver? 

What Would Each Trade Package Look Like? 

For the Patriots, it’s unclear if they would include a veteran player such as Matthew Judon. Judon has been vocal over the last few weeks regarding his frustration with his contract situation in New England. Judon also reportedly left the Patriots practice field in the middle of workouts on August 6. 

ESPN’s Mike Reiss revealed that the New England Patriots have pursued Brandon Aiyuk for months, though the process has progressed slowly. Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio reported that the Patriots previously offered the 49ers a second-round pick and were willing to meet Aiyuk’s $28 million per season salary demand before the NFL Draft.

If the Patriots secure Aiyuk, he would instantly become their top receiving threat. The 26-year-old wide receiver earned second-team All-Pro honors last season, leading San Francisco with 75 catches for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns. Over his four-year career, Aiyuk has averaged 67 receptions and 983 yards per season.

Depending on the Patriots’ 2024 season, that pick could be among the top 35 overall picks in the 2025 NFL draft, which could have enticed the 49ers to accept the trade framework. 

ESPN reporter Jeff Darlington provided new insights into Cleveland’s trade offer for Brandon Aiyuk. According to Darlington, the Browns are prepared to include star wide receiver Amari Cooper in the package. While Cooper remains one of the league’s top receivers, his age makes acquiring a younger, long-term No. 1 like Aiyuk a wise strategy for the Browns. 

The 49ers get a bit of an upgrade at No. 1 in 2024, which matches their win-now mentality. 

In the 2023 season, Cooper caught 72 passes for 1,250 yards and five touchdowns, proving to be a crucial asset for the Browns’ offense. However, upgrading to Aiyuk, who is coming off a season with 75 receptions, 1,342 yards, and seven touchdowns, would also represent a significant boost for Cleveland. 

The Impact on Browns or Patriots Season Win Total 

Per DraftKings, the New Patriots’ Season win total is currently 4.5, with the under at +125 and the over at -150. The Browns’ current win total is 8.5, with the over at -135 and the under at +115. 

With the Patriots’ win total juiced at -150 and adding Aiyuk would give them a legitimate No. 1 threat at wide receiver, their win total being impacted seems more likely than the Browns. 

There is a chance that if the Patriots do land Aiyuk and the market has a knee-jerk reaction, which creates a larger handle on the Patriots over 4.5 wins at -150, we could see that number jump to 5.5. 

The odds of such a strong market reaction to the Patriots’ win total over, considering they will navigate the NFL’s second-strongest schedule in 2024, still seems unlikely. 

The Browns win total number seeing a change seems very unlikely given the report that the Browns would move on from current No. 1 wide receiver Amari Cooper to complete the deal with San Francisco. 

The advantage of making that move for the Browns would be to impact future rosters with a younger No. 1 wide receiver, but the impact in 2024 doesn’t seem significant enough to see the total change in the win before the start of the 2024 season.