3 Trade Chips Patriots Could Use to Seal Brandon Aiyuk Deal

1. 2025 First-Round Pick

It feels like a foregone conclusion that New England will have to give up a first rounder to acquire Aiyuk.

Some will point to the Stefon Diggs trade this offseason as a measuring stick. Diggs, a two-time All-Pro receiver, was acquired by the Houston Texans in April (along with a fifth and sixth rounder) for a 2025 second round pick. However, Diggs is four years older than Aiyuk, who is about to enter what would be the expected prime of his career.

There is an argument to be made about how their respective contract situations inflates or deflates value (Diggs had three years remaining on his deal, but that was then wiped out by the Texans). Regardless, it's not a fair comparison.

A more accurate comparison could be the acquisition of A.J. Brown by the Philadelphia Eagles two seasons ago. Brown, similarly to Aiyuk, was seeking an extension with the Tennessee Titans as his rookie deal was winding down. The Eagles sent their first (no. 18) and third (no. 101) rounders to Tennessee for the then-24 year old receiver.

Upon landing with the Eagles, Brown inked a four-year, $100 million deal with his new team. Brown's age and contract situation at the time of that trade align with that of Aiyuk now. It was two years ago, but the Brown trade is probably the best benchmark.

New England's over/under win total is currently set at 4.5 wins on FanDuel, the lowest total for a team since 1991 and tied with the Carolina Panthers for the lowest mark in the league. Expectations for the 2024 Patriots are low, to put it mildly.

If the projections come to fruition, New England will likely have a top-five pick or top-10 pick at the very least. Subsequently, the Patriots first rounder will assuredly carry more value than that of a team expected to be playing playoff football.

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