Final Hurdle Remains Between the Patriots and Brandon Aiyuk in Trade Talks

The New England Patriots went through an offseason of transformation, setting themselves up for a developmental season under first-time head coach Jerod Mayo. The expectations for next season are as low as ever, as the Patriots want to evaluate what they have on their hands. That doesn't mean, however, that general manager Eliot Wolf isn't trying to improve the roster for the future.

In order to set themselves up better for the next couple of years, the Patriots have been active in trade negotiations, most notably for Brandon Aiyuk of the San Francisco 49ers. On Monday night, these talks took a significant step forward according to 49ers insider Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports. In fact, he reported that San Francisco and New England have agreed on a trade framework.

Patriots News: New England Has A Deal in Place for Brandon Aiyuk

This means that now Aiyuk and the Patriots will be discussing his new contract. The 26-year-old pass-catcher is in the final year of his contract and needs a new deal. The 49ers have been playing hardball with the 2nd team All-Pro receiver due to their financial constraints. Aiyuk will require at least $25 million per year on his new contract and the Patriots might have to get to $30 million to convince him to join a rebuilding team.

The Cleveland Browns reportedly also have a deal in place. As a playoff team with Super Bowl aspirations, the Browns have an advantage over the Patriots but New England could presumably give Aiyuk a better deal.

Considering the fact that the 49ers are Super Bowl contenders, they will likely prefer players over draft capital in a potential deal. Kendrick Bourne has been mentioned as the likeliest trade chip going the 49ers' way. What the additional draft capital is will determine whether this deal makes sense for the Patriots.

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