San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk seems destined to land with the Pittsburgh Steelers, beating out several reported suitors, including the New England Patriots. While the Patriots seemed like an odd fit as they attempt to rebuild in their post-Bill Belichick era, the Patriots reported contract offer to Aiyuk may have been the best of all.
Reportedly competing with the Steelers and Cleveland Browns, the Patriots were ready to offer Aiyuk a contract extension worth around $30 million per year, according to NFL insider Josina Anderson.
“The #Patriots are currently resigned to the notion #49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk isn’t coming to New England-feeling that’s not what Aiyuk wants, per source,” Anderson posted on X, formerly Twitter. “I was told this morning, NE was still prepared to give Aiyuk in ‘excess of $28.5M/y' despite knowing it was always going to be a challenge this whole time, and still enduring through the wait.”
Anderson added that a league source told her that the Patriots may believe Aiyuk prefers to be traded to Pittsburgh, which was reported earlier today as having a “verbal agreement” with the 49ers.
Brandon Aiyuk aiming to be one of NFL's highest-paid wide receivers
Brandon Aiyuk is set to make $14.1 million this year, more than he has earned in the first four seasons of his NFL career combined. However, Aiyuk's future is unknown when it comes to his contract considering he is set to be a free agent next season.
That is why it always made sense for Aiyuk to participate in a ‘hold-in' and try to force the San Francisco 49ers to either pay him or send him somewhere he could get paid. Although San Francisco could have held its ground and tried to wait out Aiyuk and then potentially use the franchise tag on Aiyuk next offseason, it appears the 49ers are going to trade the 1,000-yard-per-year receiver for draft picks and potentially a few players who will be able to help the team meet its high expectations over the next few seasons.
On the other side, Aiyuk seems almost guaranteed to become one of the highest-paid wideouts in the NFL very soon. While he might not get paid just as much as the New England Patriots were reportedly prepared to offer him, there's no doubt that he will make at least $25 million per year, which is in line with pretty much every major NFL wide receiver extension over the last two years. For reference, Minnesota Vikings superstar Justin Jefferson, who was drafted three picks ahead of Aiyuk in 2020, signed a record-setting, four-year, $140 million contract earlier this offsesason.
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