The New England Patriots have so far had one of the busiest free agency signing periods in the NFL, though opinions are mixed on whether it was one of the best. Football analyst Mike Jones of The Athletic gave the Patriot an overall grade of “B” for their efforts in signing such free agents as cornerback Carlton Davis, defensive tackle Milton Williams, linebacker Robert Spillane and several others.

Seth Walder of ESPN.com was even more skeptical, grading New England’s Williams signing a “C,” and handing out a “C+” for the Davis acquisition. He did give the Patriots’ pickup of Spillane a “B+,” however.

One area the Patriots clearly did not adequately address is wide receiver. Going into his second season, the Patriots quarterback-of-the-future Drake Maye — last year’s No. 3 overall draft pick out of North Carolina — will need his pass-catchers to do better than last year’s dismal performance when the entire receiving corps accounted for 18 touchdowns, just one more than league leader Ja’Marr Chase of the Cincinnati Bengals hauled in on his own.

Sports Illustrated Trade Pitch Gets 49ers No. 4 Pick

The Patriots have added just one wide receiver so far in former Buffalo Bill Mack Hollins,  aa solid addition but far from the game-changing, “No. 1” receiver that the Patriots currently lack, and that Maye needs.

But in a new Sports Illustrated trade idea, writer Grant Cohn says that his blockbuster scenario would not only meet the Patriots’ needs, but would allow the San Francisco 49ers to avoid paying out a $22.5 million bonus to receiver Brandon Aiyuk — but only if the deal gets done before April 1, when the 27-year-old’s bonus is activated.

The trade, however, would involve the Patriots giving up the No. 4 overall draft pick this year, which they hold after finishing at 4-13 in 2024, for the second straight year.

“The 49ers … should call the Patriots and offer them Aiyuk, the 11th pick and the 43rd pick for the 4th pick, which they could use to take Penn State defensive end Abdul Carter or Colorado cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter, while the Patriots would get a No. 1 wide receiver to pair with Drake Maye,” Cohn wrote. “Instead of trading Aiyuk for a player who might turn out to be nothing more than a backup, trade him in a package deal for a foundational player, someone the 49ers can build around for the next decade.”

Slight Variation on Blockbuster Pitch Offered

Cohn offered that scenario in an SI.com article published on Monday. On Tuesday the NFL scribe felt it necessary to reiterate the blockbuster trade pitch that would see the Patriots land Aiyuk — who will be entering the first season of his four-year, $120 million contract extension with the 49ers — in exchange for their coveted first-round pick.

The only variation is that Cohn now says the 49ers could include 2026 second-rounder, rather than their second-rounder, 43rd overall, this year.

“Maybe the 49ers can get creative and offer the Patriots Aiyuk, a first-round pick this year and a second-round pick next year for the fourth pick in the upcoming draft,” he wrote.

That deal sketched out by Cohn would move the Patriots down to No. 11 in the first round of the 2025 draft, allowing them a quality selection while also obtaining Aiyuk, who according to advanced metrics cited by SI.com ranked as the third-best wide receiver in the NFL in 2023.

Aiyuk’s 2024 season was cut short last October after seven games when he took a brutal and probably illegal hit to the legs from Kansas City Chiefs safety Chamarri Conner. The gruesome collision tore two ligaments in Aiyuk’s right knee. If Aiyuk’s recovery follows a normal course, he would be expected back in action sometime in late September or October this year.

Jonathan Vankin JONATHAN VANKIN is an award-winning journalist and writer who now covers baseball and other sports for Heavy.com. He twice won New England Press Association awards for sports feature writing. Vankin is also the author of five nonfiction books on a variety of topics, as well as nine graphic novels including most recently “Last of the Gladiators” published by Dynamite Entertainment. More about Jonathan Vankin

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