The San Francisco 49ers face wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk‘s recent trade request amid a contract stalemate, but the Niners could cash in with a proposed three-team trade.
Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox floated the idea of the 49ers trading Aiyuk to the New England Patriots in a deal that would also involve the Atlanta Falcons. San Francisco would acquire Falcons cornerback Mike Hughes, the Patriots’ No. 1 pick in 2025, and a Falcons third-round pick. Atlanta would get Patriots linebacker Matthew Judon.
How the 49ers Benefit From the Proposed 3-Team Deal
Aiyuk, who has been adamant about a new deal all offseason, said on “The Pivot Podcast” that he could see himself in a Pittsburgh Steelers or Washington Commanders uniform this year amid trade rumors. However, the 49ers could get more via the Patriots and Falcons than either of the aforementioned teams, which Knox broke down.
“In this scenario, the 49ers would send Aiyuk to the New England Patriots for a first-round selection,” Knox wrote. “The Patriots could look to include pass-rusher Matthew Judon, who is entering the final year of his contract, but that might not move the needle much for San Francisco. The 49ers already had Nick Bosa and added Leonard Floyd to be his top complement in free agency.”
“Getting the Atlanta Falcons involved could help get this one done. The Falcons have long been searching for a quality sack artist, and Judon would fit the bill,” Knox added. “He missed most of the 2023 season with a torn biceps but had 15.5 sacks in 2022. The Falcons could send a third-round pick to San Francisco, along with cornerback Mike Hughes.”
“Hughes, a 2018 first-round pick of the Minnesota Vikings, started only four games for the Falcons last season but was fairly reliable in coverage—he allowed an opposing passer rating of 86.3,” Knox continued. “In San Francisco, he’d provide valuable depth in a secondary that struggled against elite quarterbacks like Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow in 2023.”
49ers Could Replace Brandon Aiyuk in 2025 Draft if Needed
In addition to Hughes, the 49ers likely get a premiere draft pick in 2025 via the Patriots. Experts project New England to finish near the bottom of the league and high in the draft order after a 4-13 season in 2023. The Patriots face a full rebuild with new head coach Jerod Mayo and rookie quarterback Drake Maye waiting in the wings.
San Francisco could bolster the receiver room for 2025 if needed. Missouri’s Luther Burden III is projected as a top-10 pick amid a stellar career with the Tigers. He has 131 receptions for 1,587 yards and 25 touchdowns in the past two seasons.
“Burden is at his best with the ball in his hands,” Pro Football Focus’ Max Chadwick wrote. “The sophomore’s 725 yards after the catch ranked third among all FBS receivers this past season while his 314 receiving yards after contact were the fourth-most.”
“The former five-star recruit also displayed impressive hands and body control this past season, dropping just four of his 94 catchable targets while coming down with 56.5% of his contested targets,” Chawick continued. “There is some work to be done in terms of his route-running, but Burden is the early favorite to be WR1 next April.”
Other receivers to watch include Arizona’s Tetairoa McMillan and Ohio State’s Emeka Egbuka.
