The New England Patriots are entering a new era. Future Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady is long gone and the Mac Jones experiment is mercifully over. Former head coach and general manager Bill Belichick, too, is no longer a part of the organization. Now, Elliot Wolf and Jerod Mayo are tasked with returning the Patriots to the kind of team that won six Super Bowls in the span of two decades.
They have the first piece of that puzzle (or so they hope) in quarterback Drake Maye, whom they selected with the third overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. While Jacoby Brissett may start out as the starter at the beginning of the season, there is no doubt that the future of the franchise lies in Maye’s development.
The New England Patriots Are Thin at Wide Receiver
Unfortunately for the Patriots, they do not have a very good wide receiver room to help make Maye’s transition to the NFL a little easier. Last season, New England’s leading receiver was Demario Douglas, who had 561 receiving yards and no touchdowns. Tight end Hunter Henry was second on the team with 419 receiving yards. He also led the Patriots with six touchdown receptions.
Of all the other Patriots pass catchers, Kendrick Bourne was the only one besides the two named above to surpass 400 yards receiving (which he did in only eight games).
Ja’Lynn Polk was drafted by New England in the second round of this year’s draft, but as a rookie his transition to the NFL has yet to be seen. Whether or not he can be a top target for Patriots quarterbacks is yet to be determined.
NFL Analyst Names the New England Patriots as a Top Trade Destination for San Francisco 49ers Wide Receiver Brandon Aiyuk
Obviously, the Patriots are in desperate need of a top-tier go-to wide receiver. As it happens, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brandon Aiyuk is currently holding out as he awaits a new contract. It also so happens that he recently told Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels that the 49ers informed him that they do not want him anymore.
As the video of Aiyuk’s statement to Daniels has gone viral, many have started to wonder what the best landing spots for the All-Pro wide receiver would be. According to CBS’s Cory Benjamin, the Patriots are one of the five best places Aiyuk could land:
“Aiyuk may not be itching to hop aboard a rebuilding team after enjoying four years of playoff contention in the Bay Area. New England has money to spare, however, boasting $45 million in cap space under new coach Jerod Mayo, plus a flashy quarterback of the future in Drake Maye. Desperately lacking a bona fide No. 1, the Pats might be best-positioned to outbid competition.”
As Benjamin notes, Aiyuk may not be happy going from a perennial Super Bowl contender to the struggling Patriots. However, they do have a lot of cap space and can give Aiyuk that massive contract extension that he wants. Additionally, he would not have to share targets with the likes of other Pro Bowl pass catchers like Deebo Samuel and George Kittle.
In other words, Aiyuk can get paid and become the bonified star of the offense.
Whether or not Wolf agrees, or if the 49ers really are ready to move on, remains to be seen.
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