Here’s what Patriots offered 49ers’ Brandon Aiyuk in failed contract, trade negotiations, per report

Many eyes around the NFL are trained on Brandon Aiyuk and the San Francisco 49ers, who appear destined for a breakup as the disgruntled wide receiver seeks a lucrative contract from other teams. One team reportedly out of the mix for Aiyuk is the New England Patriots, though it wasn’t for a lack of big-money effort on the team’s part, according to NFL reporter Josina Anderson.

As of Wednesday morning, hours after reports indicated the Patriots had opted out of the Aiyuk sweepstakes due to the wide receiver preferring to play elsewhere, New England was “still prepared to give” the All-Pro “in excess of $28.5 [million per year]” as part of a potential trade, Anderson reports. The Patriots were always aware it would be a hard sell to bring Aiyuk to New England, per Anderson, as the club is rebuilding with a new coach and quarterback, but still hoped to convince the pass catcher with lofty money.

A contract averaging $28.5 million per year would’ve made Aiyuk the fifth-highest-paid wide receiver in the NFL, putting him just ahead of the Miami Dolphins‘ Jaylen Waddle ($28.25 million) in annual value. The 49ers offered Aiyuk a deal averaging about $26 million per year in May, according to The Athletic.

The Patriots’ belief is that Aiyuk’s “preference” is to land with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Anderson added, and the AFC North squad has been linked to the wideout for months. San Francisco only recently permitted Aiyuk to engage with other teams on contract talks after failing to strike a long-term deal of their own. The Cleveland Browns have also been strongly linked to the former first-round draft pick as of late.