Patriots Connected to Massive Trade With 49ers

The New England Patriots haven't swung any trades this offseason, but they could be waiting until the NFL Draft to make that come to fruition.

The Patriots have certainly begun filling out their roster with some big pickups in free agency, but they still have plenty of holes to address.

For example, even after signing Stefon Diggs, New England needs help at wide receiver, and one potential target keeps surfacing in speculation: San Francisco 49ers star Brandon Aiyuk.

ESPN's Bill Barnwell has concocted a trade idea in which the Pats would send the fourth overall pick and offensive lineman Cole Strange to the 49ers in exchange for Aiyuk and the 11th overall selection, which would give the Patriots a pretty dynamic duo at wide out.

"Having signed Diggs to a three-year deal, the Patriots would go from having the league's worst receiving corps to one with top-10 potential overnight," Barnwell wrote. "Diggs' deal has only $26 million guaranteed, which suggests he might be on the move as early as next offseason. Aiyuk, 27, would be around for years to come as part of a four-year deal with $110 million remaining. By moving down to No. 11, New England would hope to still be in position to add Will Campbell (LSU) or Armand Membou (Missouri) to its offensive line. Landing a left tackle, Diggs and Aiyuk would represent a dream offseason for Maye and the Pats."

Here's the thing, though: Aiyuk just saw his $22.5 million roster bonus kick in on Tuesday, which definitely makes trading him all the more difficult for San Francisco.

Like Diggs, Aiyuk is coming off of a torn ACL, and bringing in two receivers recovering from the same serious injury would be a major risk for New England.

Yes, the idea of an Aiyuk-Diggs tandem sounds tantalizing, but would it really be the wisest route for the Pats to take? If Travis Hunter is available at No. 4, the Patriots may be better served just selecting him and calling it a day.