Brandon Aiyuk landing spots that make the least sense feat. New England Patriots
Brandon Aiyuk's saga with the San Francisco 49ers shows no signs of coming to an end anytime soon. The wide receiver wants a contract and the team wants him to stay but neither can seemingly get to a valuation where both are in agreement. The more this drags on, the more it looks probable that Brandon Aiyuk might be playing elsewhere when the 2024 season begins.
One can understand the wide receiver's frustration. He was a key component in their Super Bowl run last season and is a leading weapon for Brock Purdy. He can see that the wide receiver market has been reset by Justin Jefferson's contract with the Minnesota Vikings which pays $35 million a season for four years. And he knows with his talent there are other teams who are likely be willing to pay him.
But, on the flip side, Brandon Aiyuk must note that the 49ers are a team built to compete for and win championships now. Therefore, even if he can go to some other franchise that pays him what he wants, he might be doing it in lieu of fighting for championships. With that in mind, we have come up with three teams he should seek to avoid going to.
Landing spots for Brandon Aiyuk to avoid
#1 - New England Patriots
The New England Patriots are embarking on a new era. They have a new head coach after two decades of Bill Belichick. They have a new rookie quarterback in Drake Maye. These are days when optimism reigns in those parishes. And Brandon Aiyuk might look at that and be swayed.
But peel behind the curtain and it is a volatile situation. Both Jerod Mayo and Drake Maye are unproven, with the head coach coming from the defensive side of the ball. There is no guarantee that they can succeed where a legendary coach like Bill Belichick failed and where quarterbacks like former MVP Cam Newton and National Champion Mac Jones struggled.
Also, the AFC East is devilishly difficult to compete in this year. The Miami Dolphins and the Buffalo Bills both battled it out for the top spot last season and made it to the playoffs. They are expected to do so again. The New York Jets will also hope to have Aaron Rodgers fit for this campaign and will also be targeting the postseason. The Patriots could very well be the weakest team of the bunch.
Therefore, Brandon Aiyuk might get a deal in New England if his agent looks for it. But the player should not take it as he might not have a chance to compete for the Super Bowl there. It might be better to wait this season where he is instead, if this is the option, and then get a new contract elsewhere next year.
#2 - Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers have a lot of things going for them. Mike Tomlin is their head coach and is yet to have a losing season in his career. They have a fantastic defense helmed by T.J. Watt. And on offense, they have moved away from Kenny Pickett and now have Super Bowl champion Russell Wilson as their quarterback, and he is coming in with something to prove after his disastrous Broncos stint. One could say that it might be an ideal situation for Brandon Aiyuk to go to.
But there are some issues underneath that rosy picture. Russell Wilson only has a one-year deal. It could very well be that the Broncos version is where he is currently at. And if that is the case, Justin Fields is waiting in the wings to come in. They also have a new offensive coordinator in Arthur Smith and we are yet to see how that shapes out with the two quarterbacks currently in place.
Therefore, with this Brandon Aiyuk would be stepping into an offense that has too many variables. Add in that the AFC North has three other teams with settled franchise quarterback situations, all of whom had winning records last season despite Deshaun Watson and Joe Burrow not playing the entirety of it, and the wide receiver might not have the best situation in Pittsburgh.
#3 - Denver Broncos
The Broncos need a wide receiver opposite Courtland Sutton. They have a offensive coach in Sean Payton who has won the Super Bowl with the New Orleans Saints. But he has never done so without Drew Brees. And given how slow last year's offense under Russell Wilson was, there is no reason to suspect this season will be any better.
Payton might claim that in Bo Nix he finally has someone that is his player and he can mold according to his playbook. But he is an unproven rookie. Zach Wilson is another option at the quarterback spot and ask any Jets fan what they think of him. Finally, there's Jarett Stidham also competing for the starting spot, having been a journeyman so far.
Brandon Aiyuk will walk into a position where he might be an immediate starter but not get the service that he wants with the quarterback situation in flux. He will also have to go up against some great teams in the AFC, not least the Chiefs, who are in the midst of a dynastic run. Brandon Aiyuk has recent memory of how tough Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid are to overcome.