New report shares two main reasons Brandon Aiyuk didn’t want to join the Patriots
Why did Brandon Aiyuk turn down the Patriots’ significant financial offer and essentially block a trade to New England? A new report suggests it comes down to the team’s roster.
In the aftermath of star wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk essentially vetoing a potential trade to the Patriots, there’s been a lot of speculation about his motive. With reports putting the Patriots’ offer to Aiyuk north of $30 million a year, did he want more money or were there other factors at play?
A new report from Dianna Russini of The Athletic on her Scoop City podcast suggests that was the case. It may have been the Patriots’ roster – specifically one position – that led to Aiyuk’s decision.
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“[The Patriots] essentially had a contract in place for Brandon Aiyuk, giving him around $32 million a year, with trade compensation that the San Francisco 49ers were O.K. with. But Aiyuk did not want to go play for New England, is what I was told,” Russini explains. “He does not believe the quarterback position is at the level that he wants it to be at right now, and he wants to be on a team that be believes can make a run in the playoffs. He doesn’t see New England as being that type of team.”
“New England was rolling out the cash to get him there, and he denied them,” she added.
If the quarterbacks and quarterback continuity are a major concern for Aiyuk, it makes sense why New England wouldn’t be a preferred destination for him. Jacoby Brissett is a bridge starter signed for just this year, and while Drake Maye showed a ton of potential in college he’s never thrown a single pass in the NFL. That situation on a 4-13 team with a defensive-minded first-year head coach is a tough draw.
Aiyuk’s reported preferred destination of Pittsburgh is better, but not by much. Russell Wilson has proven himself in the NFL in the past but hasn’t been the same player in recent years, and just had an unceremonious exist from the Denver Broncos. Backup Justin Fields was acquired for a Day 3 pick this offseason after the Chicago Bears decided to move on from him in the final year of his rookie contract. However the Steelers have still proven to be competitive, and are coming off of a 10-7 season that included a Wild Card playoff bid.
Does all of this soften the blow of the Patriots coming up short in pursuit of Aiyuk? Probably not. But it does show what needs to change perception-wise about the Patriots for them to finally land the top receiver they’ve been after all offseason.
