Latest NFL blockbuster trade reports should have Bills Mafia worried

I am a very vocal proponent of Brandon Aiyuk, firmly in the camp that he is the league's most underrated superstar wide receiver.

I previously opined that Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane should be picking up the phone and swinging for the fences to acquire Aiyuk to fill the top of their wide receiver depth chart. Now, it seems that an Aiyuk trade is imminent, but not to Buffalo – instead, AFC East division rival New England Patriots are one of a couple finalists.

New England Patriots a frontrunner for Brandon Aiyuk trade

Currently, in this ever-evolving saga between Aiyuk and the San Francisco 49ers front office, it's being reported that the 49ers have the framework in place for a trade with both the Patriots and the Cleveland Browns .

The framework being discussed looks to be centered around wide receiver Amari Cooper from the Browns, and wide receiver Kendrick Bourne from the Patriots, with both teams likely including draft picks.

The deal isn't as simple as the parties agreeing. The potential acquiring team also needs to negotiate what a new contract would look like for Aiyuk, with the wide receiver currently set to play on the last deal of his rookie deal. The 49ers have given Aiyuk permission to negotiate with the potential new teams.

This saga all got started with Aiyuk and the 49ers attempting to negotiate a new deal. On July 16, Aiyuk officially requested a trade. General Manager John Lynch was adamant that the 49ers wouldn't be interested in dealing Aiyuk, but alas, here we are.

At this point, it sounds like Aiyuk has input in what team he ends up going to.

Aiyuk would do wonders for the Patriots and rookie quarterback Drake Maye

The Patriots used the third overall pick on UNC quarterback Drake Maye, signaling a new era in Foxborough. Along with Maye, the Patriots attempted to address the wide receiver position through the draft, selecting Javon Baker and Ja'Lynn Polk, to set him up for as much success out of the gate as they could.

So far, the reviews on both receivers, particularly Baker, have been raving through training camp, but adding a star veteran receiver into the mix would elevate that offense to another level.

Since 2022, Aiyuk ranks 11th in the NFL with 2,357 receiving yards. Of the top-10 in receiving yards over that timeframe, his 15.4 yards per reception ranks second behind only Amari Cooper.

One of my favorite Aiyuk stats is this: Aiyuk was 7th in the NFL with 1,342 receiving yards last year on only 105 targets. Tyreek Hill led the league with 1,799 receiving yards, doing so on 171 targets. If my math is mathing, that means Aiyuk averaged 12.78 receiving yards per target, while Hill averaged 10.52.

The thought of Aiyuk going to the Patriots and what that could potentially do for the growth of Maye is a terrifying proposition for Bills Mafia. Let's hope he goes to Cleveland.

Related: Daily Keon Coleman propaganda as rookie wide receiver continues to grow into Josh Allen's WR1

Follow along all season for all the latest Buffalo Bills news. You can also find me on X @JonHelmkamp .