Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - New England Patriots Out on Wide Receiver Brandon Aiyuk: SPECIAL EDITION

Starting point is 00:00:00 The New England Patriots had the money, they had the framework, but Brandon Ayuk still said no deal. Stick around, you're about to be locked into this special edition of the Locked On Patriots Podcast. You are Locked On Patriots, your daily New England Patriots podcast. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network. Your team every day. Hello to all of you, Foxborough faithful. And thank you once again for making Locked On Patriots a daily part of your New England Patriots coverage

Starting point is 00:00:35 and also your first listen each and every day. Remember, Locked On Patriots is not only a proud part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day, but we are also free and available on all platforms, including YouTube. So smash that subscribe button and download and follow Locked On Patriots wherever you get your podcasts to ensure you're getting the latest episode as soon as it's available. I'm your host, Mike DeBate.

Starting point is 00:00:59 I cover your New England Patriots. For Patriots Country of Athlon Sports, reach out to me. Let me know what's on your mind on X at MDA BAPE NFL. And while you're out there showing some love to locked on Patriots social media style, please be sure to follow our account there

Starting point is 00:01:14 as well at L O underscore Patriots and pets fans. Today's special edition of locked on Patriots is brought to you by fan duel. Make every moment more. With the playoffs now a distant memory, the sports stop sporting like we want them to. But this summer, FanDuel is hooking up all customers with a boost or a bonus daily. That's right. There's something for everyone, every day, all summer long.

Starting point is 00:01:39 Visit FanDuel.com to get started. Patriots Nation, as the old saying goes, what a difference a day makes. Just over 24 hours ago, so much hype, so much anticipation, so much excitement within Patriots Nation. A lot of us have been clamoring for a top wideout, and it looked like the Patriots were on the verge of making it happen. Because since San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Iyuk had officially requested a trade last month this coming after both he and the Niners could not agree on terms for a new contract extension Patriots fans were salivating over the possibility of Brandon Iyuk coming to New England and being their top wide receiver the excitement reached a fever pitch on

Starting point is 00:02:22 Monday when it was reported that the Patriots and the Cleveland Browns had agreed to a framework of a deal with the Niners and that essentially the ball was in Iyuk's court. The Patriots looked like a team that could make it happen. They had the money. They had the draft capital. The only thing that was left was for Iyuk to give his blessing for this deal to go through. Well, unfortunately for all of us on Tuesday night, we learned that that is no longer a possibility. ESPN's Adam Schefter reporting, and I quote,

Starting point is 00:02:51 after inquiring about Brandon Ayuk's availability, the New England Patriots have decided not to explore any further trade possibilities with the 49ers regarding their standout wide receiver. Patriots are excited about their young receivers and they want to focus on them. Now that's definitely a good sentiment by New England and I'll come back to that in a moment but Mike Baioco of NBC Sports who was the first to report on Monday that the Patriots and the Browns were the first to agree on a framework for a deal

Starting point is 00:03:20 added a little context to Schefter's report. And he tweeted out just moments later, the Patriots had an agreement in place with the 49ers and a large offer to Ayuk on the table. He did not show interest in going there. It was compounded by Maioko's further report where he said they were serious contenders for a while. The Patriots were prepared to offer the largest deal of the teams who pursued Ayuk.

Starting point is 00:03:44 And by recent reports, we're assuming that means the Cleveland Browns and the Pittsburgh Steelers. Miyako then said that two sources told NBC Sports Bay Area that New England's proposal topped $30 million a year. And this would be in line with ESPN's Mike Reese reporting earlier in the day that the Patriots were willing to make Iyuk one of the top five paid wide receivers in the league. That means $30 million plus in average annual value. So for anyone angry at the front office on this one, can't blame Elliott Wolfe. They clearly went all in and did everything they could financially to make this deal work. But still, Brandon Iyuk is not a New England Patriot. And I know all of you out there are wondering why. What went wrong?

Starting point is 00:04:27 How could this have happened? Well, the literal words are easy enough to understand. But to me, the context is what speaks volumes here. Brandon Ayuk simply did not want to come to New England. And we'll get to why in just a moment. But logistically, on the field, this one definitely stings for the New England Patriots. Brandon Ayuk would have been a great fit in an Alex Van Pelt offense, especially knowing that Jacoby Brissett's going to start the season

Starting point is 00:04:52 and that at some point this year, we're going to see the number three overall pick, Drake May, take the reins and his rightful place as the starter on this team. The Patriots are making it clear that they want to pair drake may with a solid pass catcher a veteran pass catcher someone who's capable of being a number one from the moment he walks through the door they tried to do it with calvin ridley earlier this season offered him a max deal he ended up going elsewhere now they seemingly swing and miss on iuke and i know it hurts because the patriots could have benefited so much from his game. He's well-sized to be a number one wide out, 6 feet, 200 pounds,

Starting point is 00:05:36 coming off of a season in which he had 75 catches, 1,342 yards, and 7 touchdowns in 16 games. All that added up to a season in which he earned second-team All-Pro honors. So the resume, the pedigree is definitely there, but this kid has got versatility to win his battles all over the field, whether it be deep, intermediate, or even short. And he's at his best when you're putting him in a vertical passing game. That's exactly what the New England Patriots would have done under Alex Van Pelt. Jacoby Brissett capable of bringing him along and bringing him up to speed in Alex Van Pelt's offense. Once Drake May is ready to take the reins, that's when you are really going to start to see these two come together

Starting point is 00:06:08 and be a solid tandem in this league. For Brandon, he would have come to New England knowing that he was among the top five paid wide receivers in the league. Clearly not a bad situation. You'd figure a young wide receiver would love to be able to come in and grow with a young quarterback, especially one with all the promise and all the opportunity in the world to succeed like Drake May this kid's got all the tools to be a top flight quarterback even if May is not ready Jacoby Brissett is a more than

Starting point is 00:06:35 capable veteran that can lead you along allow you to become acclimated into the offense and then allow you to develop a really solid relationship with May. But ultimately, Brandon decided that New England was not where he wanted to be. I know there were reports out there that Pittsburgh is a preferred destination. Perhaps he ends up there, and that's where he's angling to go. Maybe he ends up in Cleveland. But one thing was clear. He did not want to sign a long-term deal with the Patriots. And unfortunately, folks, the reason why is very clear.

Starting point is 00:07:05 It might not be pleasant. It might not even be easy to handle. But it is something us Patriots fans have to understand. He didn't want to. And in just a moment, I'm going to explain why that was the case and tell you why, even though that may seem like a harsh reality, there's still a silver lining at the end of the cloud. This and more when we continue on this special edition of the lockdown patriots podcast a proud part of the lockdown

Starting point is 00:07:30 podcast network your team every day locked on listeners when you're hiring for your small business you want to find quality professionals that are right for the role that's why you have to check out linkedin jobs linkedin jobs has the tools to help find the right professionals for your team to help you do it faster. Here's the best part, folks. They help you do it for free because LinkedIn isn't just a job board. LinkedIn helps you hire professionals you can't find anywhere else, even those who aren't actively searching for a new job but might be open to the perfect role. In a given month, over 70% of LinkedIn users don't visit other leading job sites.

Starting point is 00:08:11 So if you're not looking on LinkedIn, you're looking in the wrong place. And on LinkedIn, 86% of small businesses get a qualified candidate within 24 hours. Hire professionals like a professional on LinkedIn. Post your job for free at linkedin.com slash locked on NFL. That's linkedin.com slash locked on NFL to post your job for free.

Starting point is 00:08:36 Terms and conditions apply. Patriots fans, thank you once again for joining us here today on Locked On Patriots. It is a special edition of Locked On Patriots and the Patriots bowing out of the Brandon Iyuk sweepstakes. And in the previous segment, we talked about the what that happened. We're going to dig a little deeper and go into the why in just a moment. But before we do so, I just wanted to take a moment and a tip of the cap to thank all of you everydayers out there who are making Locked On Patriots your first listen each and every day.

Starting point is 00:09:08 If, in fact, you have made us your first listen, I encourage you to make your second listen to the Locked On Fantasy Football podcast. You can get daily insight into the best fantasy draft strategies so you can win your league this season. Check out our good friends over at Locked On Fantasy Football. Like Locked On Patriots, they're also a proud part over at Locked On Fantasy Football. Like Locked On Patriots, they're also a proud part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. And folks, it's been a little bit of a rough day for your favorite team in Foxborough, essentially taking

Starting point is 00:09:37 themselves out of the running for wide receiver Brandon Ayuk in a potential deal with the San Francisco 49ers. Word coming out of the bay area that brandon did not want to come to new england and in the previous segment we talked about what happened in new england going from having a framework for a deal in place apparently going all in on brandon's contract offering him 30 plus million per year still the patriots got spurned and it's not an easy concept for patriots fans to absorb for years players would take team friendly deals they'd take less money to sign with the Patriots for an opportunity to play for a ring and while the vast majority of us out there in Patriots nation know those days are long behind us

Starting point is 00:10:16 you still wonder what the Pats have to do to field a winning team to get established stars to be able to come to New England and hopefully help to rebuild the dynasty. Well, in years past, it was always money. The Patriots are up against the cap. They're not willing to go that extra mile to pay players, especially wide receivers. Well, that is not the case any longer. Judging by Elliott Wolfe's offer, I think it's clear the Patriots are willing to invest, significantly invest in that position.

Starting point is 00:10:45 Patriots clearly don't have a money problem our good friend the Pats cap himself Miguel Benzon estimates that the Pats have about 42.6 million in available cap space when the start of the 2025 year rolls around they're projected to start the year with greater than 100 million available in cap space so money is clearly not the problem in New England anymore. The Patriots are not projected to be a playoff team this year. Unfortunately, most NFL analysts believe that the Patriots are once again going to be lining the cellar of the AFC East this year. So any draft capital that they would have offered to the Niners for IUK would have been prime real estate, so to speak. That includes a potential first rounder. San Francisco is reportedly seeking that. I don't

Starting point is 00:11:30 know if they're going to get it from Pittsburgh. I don't know if they're going to get it from Cleveland. Maybe a team comes in like the New York Giants. Maybe the Washington Commanders, who were rumored earlier, they reportedly took their name out of the running. Maybe they get back into this. But whoever does is going to have to give the 49ers a very good offer. And they're going to have to up the ante on the contract for Brandon Ayuk. At least match or exceed the offer that the Patriots were willing to make to pay him. But bottom line, it wasn't money and it wasn't draft capital the Patriots had them both and they were willing to invest whatever they needed to to help improve their team so again the question

Starting point is 00:12:13 is what happened what's the problem unfortunately folks the harsh reality is that this time it was because New England simply isn't a destination anymore Players that are nearing or in their prime and are looking to maximize their value by winning championships don't want to come to a team like New England right now. And I know that's really hard for fans of the New England Patriots to hear. But as former coach Bill Belichick would have said, it is what it is. There is no Tom Brady walking through the door. There is no Bill Belichick on the sidelines. Despite his detractors, Belichick still had the ability to attract players that wanted to play for him. Those six Super Bowl championships that the Patriots have in their trophy case seem like a lifetime ago to this generation of players.

Starting point is 00:12:57 They're not worried about that. They're worried about the Patriots now and in the future. They want to win now, and the Patriots just aren't built that way as currently constituted. And don't misconstrue this. I'm not going to sit here and be doom and gloom when it comes to this team. I can tell you from watching them during training camp thus far, there are a lot of reasons to be optimistic about the future of this team. The defense will continue to be solid in all three levels. That defense will carry them. It'll keep them competitive in most of

Starting point is 00:13:24 the games that they play. But as for the offensive side of the ball, this is still likely going to be a subpar offense. The offensive line still has several question marks. Again, young players that are starting to show signs of being able to do the job, but not enough consistency and definitely not enough experience, especially when it comes to protecting a young quarterback. As for the veteran quarterback that they have on staff, Jacoby Brissett will keep you competitive in the games that you play. But if I'm being honest, in terms of superstar ability, probably not the situation for him to elevate a core of receivers or bring them to new heights. And speaking of that receivers group, it's very young, very promising, but largely untested.

Starting point is 00:14:06 And that can be a problem when a veteran wants to come in and be the top option. Don't get me wrong, folks. I love Demario Douglas as a receiver. I think he's going to be poised for a great season this year. I'm very excited and very encouraged by what I'm seeing from Jalen Polk and Javon Baker. Kendrick Bourne, KJ Osborne, these guys are as solid of veteran options as you'll find anywhere. But beyond that, there's a lot of question marks

Starting point is 00:14:30 on this team. A lot of potential, but a lot more question. Jalen Rager could round into form and he could be a solid addition. But again, we need to see it with more consistency. Keyshawn Booty has come in. He's played well, but can he be consistent? Juju Smith-Schuster, he's looked good in a handful of catches,

Starting point is 00:14:48 but there have been times where he's looked every bit of his age and feeling some of that injury history. These are all problems that need to be ironed out. And ultimately, for a guy like Brandon Ayuk, he wanted more from his fellow receivers. And I'm sure he wanted more from his potential quarterbacks. Don't forget, this guy's an all-pro. He's played in the Super Bowl. He's ready to take that next step. This Patriots team,

Starting point is 00:15:11 unfortunately, is not quite there just yet, and he needs to make sure that if he's investing his future in the New England Patriots, that they're capable of fielding a competent offense that is consistently showing improvement and employing a quarterback that's in the upper echelon of the league's talent pool. The Pats are going to get there. Drake May has the ability to be that, but they're not there yet. Neither is Drake. They both need a little more time. And the reality is, folks, this is a 4-13 team with one of the statistically poorest offenses in the league last season. If you're asking me my honest opinion, I think the offense is going to be better than it was last year, maybe even much better than it was last year because of Alex Van Pelt and the concepts that they're running, because of the fit Ramondre Stevenson has in an Alex Van Pelt offense, because of Jacoby Brissett's leadership and his abilities

Starting point is 00:16:01 on the field, and especially because of Drake May's potential. Potential is the key word. That's what the Patriots are hanging their hat on right now. And it's a lot to ask an all-pro receiver like Brandon Ayuk to blindly accept on faith that this team is going to take the leap everyone thinks they can. He wants to secure his future just like the Patriots want to secure theirs. The only difference is right now, Brandon Ayuk is in a much better position to capitalize immediately than the New England Patriots are. And that, folks, is why we find ourselves at an impasse. And there's so much more to talk about when it comes to the Patriots' pursuit of Brandon Ayuk and what potential next steps the Patriots may take

Starting point is 00:16:39 to upgrade that roster. Don't forget, a pursuit like this proves that Elliott Wolfe and the Patriots Brain Trust are ready to invest serious capital, serious money, in order to bring this team not just back to respectability, but hopefully back to the playoffs in short order. So that means back to the drawing board. And here on Locked On, Patriots, we're going to continue to bring you the latest on why a deal to bring Brandon Ayuk to New England could not and did not get done. And of course, we're going to get you ready

Starting point is 00:17:08 for kickoff on Thursday at 7 p.m. when the Pats open their preseason slate at Gillette Stadium against the Carolina Panthers. In the meantime, I'm Mike DeBate, and I thank you for joining us here today on this special edition of Locked On Patriots. And stay locked in, folks, because there is plenty still to come here on the pod. In the meantime, I encourage all of you to stay safe and to stay well and to be the change you wish to see in the world. Have a great day, everyone, and we'll see you back here again next time

Starting point is 00:17:36 on Locked On Patriots.

Locked On Patriots - Daily Podcast On The New England Patriots - New England Patriots Out on Wide Receiver Brandon Aiyuk: SPECIAL EDITION

There aren't comments yet for this episode. Click on any sentence in the transcript to leave a comment.