3 Patriots Who Could Be Cut Following a Brandon Aiyuk Trade
The San Francisco 49ers are shopping around star wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, and the New England Patriots are reportedly one of the top suitors. NBC Sports' Matt Maiocco reported on Monday that the Patriots and 49ers have the framework for a trade in place, however, the situation hinges on a new contract for the dynamic playmaker.
BREAKING: The 49ers have the framework of a Brandon Aiyuk trade with both the Browns and the Patriots, a source told @MaioccoNBCS.
— 49ers on NBCS (@NBCS49ers) August 6, 2024
Now it's up to Aiyuk to decide if he will accept either team's contract terms https://t.co/8DIfq9rQMV
With Aiyuk potentially looking for up to $30 million on a new deal, the Patriots are likely thinking hard about how he'd affect their salary cap space, which sits at $39.1 million (per Spotrac). In other words, a potential trade could force New England to say goodbye to some players to free up money for future deals.
With that in mind, here are three Patriots who could be on the chopping block following a potential Aiyuk trade.
1. JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR
If the Patriots land Aiyuk, gone are the days of the franchise looking for a new WR1. The 26-year-old pass-catcher just amassed a career-high 1,342 receiving yards last season, making it easy for New England to walk away from veteran wideout JuJu Smith-Schuster.
After winning a Super Bowl with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2022, Smith-Schuster brought in on a three-year, $33 million to be the Patriots top receiver. Unfortunately, his first year with the franchise was plagued by injuries and a lack of productivity, resulting in 29 catches for just 260 receiving yards and a touchdown in 11 games.
Despite having several months to get back on track, Smith-Schuster has left much to be desired throughout training camp. He was already on thin ice before practice even started, but the situation has only gotten worse now that he's dropping easy catches and looking like a shell of his former self throughout drills.
With Aiyuk in town, the Patriots wouldn't need to hold onto Smith-Schuster, who's set to make $10.2 million next season. Considering how New England can free up $647,053 by cutting him (or $7.6 million in a trade), it's easy to see why the former USC WR's days with the Patriots might be numbered.