Wild 3-Team Trade Pitch Brings Patriots All-Pro WR for Judon, 1st-Round Pick
Fair to say, this would qualify as a shakeup. Given the overall lack of depth within the Patriots’ roster as a whole, it might not be the wisest pursuit, either. But it would be a chance for New England to give new quarterback Drake Maye an instant star weapon via a massive, three-team trade: 49ers star receiver Brandon Aiyuk.
That’s the thrust of a proposal from Bleacher Report, in an article titled, “Hypothetical 3-Team Trades That Would Turn the NFL Upside Down Before 2024 Season.” Among the deals is one that would bring the disgruntled Aiyuk—who has not been able to reach a contract deal with the cap-strapped 49ers but could get a very generous contract from the Patriots—to Maye’s offense.
The deal would be costly, sending out defensive leader Matthew Judon to the Falcons, with New England’s first-rounder going to the 49ers. Here’s the deal as constructed by Kristopher Knox of B/R:
Falcons Get: Edge Matthew Judon
Patriots Get: WR Brandon Aiyuk
49ers Get: CB Mike Hughes, Patriots’ 2025 first-round pick, Falcons’ 2025 third-round pick
Patriots Could Give up Veteran Matthew Judon
Bringing a top-level threat like Aiyuk to the Patriots would be a major move, but there would have to be concerns about whether the Pats are ready for such a move. The offensive line is still packed with uncertainty and there’s no indication even that Maye will be the starter in Week 1, let alone whether he can actually be a capable NFL quarterback.
