New Brandon Aiyuk Report Makes Patriots Look Even Worse

Money so often talks in professional sports. Free agents or players looking for new contracts tend to land with the highest bidder.

But this typically successful strategy recently didn't work for the Patriots, which was a sign of the times in New England.

After whiffing on Calvin Ridley earlier in the offseason, New England had another opportunity to add a game-changing wide receiver when Brandon Aiyuk asked out of San Francisco. The Patriots were equipped with two necessities to make such a blockbuster: assets to satisfy their trade partner and cap space to please a high-profile target.

Fired-Up Patriots Reporter Squares Off With Boston Radio Host About Brandon Aiyuk Report

Aug 7  |  6:06 pm

But New England wasn't able to receive approval from Aiyuk, who reportedly wasn't interested in taking his talents to Foxboro, Mass., despite a very generous offer on the table.

"We did see a report from Mike Reiss of ESPN who covers the Patriots and he said New England was willing to go up to about $32 million per season, which is up close to Justin Jefferson territory," NFL Network's Mike Garafolo reported Wednesday. "Never mind Jaylen Waddle and Amon-Ra St. Brown. That is my understanding as well. Had Brandon Aiyuk pushed for a trade toward New England, he would have gotten that kind of money. I do believe, in the end, whoever he ends up signing his next deal with is gonna be lower than that."

Aiyuk rejecting the Patriots was a reminder of the new reality in New England. Tom Brady and Bill Belichick are long gone, and the six-time Super Bowl champions no longer are an appealing destination for top players. The Patriots will need to earn back that important status, and it remains to be seen if Jerod Mayo and Drake Maye can power the turnaround.

In the meantime, New England will try to prove doubters wrong with a roster that doesn't stack up with the top half of the league.