Which is to say he’s probably opened a Swiss bank account.
As you’d imagine, I have many thoughts.
The first being, did the 49ers narrow down their choices to these two trade offers?
Like how do they at all equate to one another.
I take a back seat to no man when it comes to my respect for Kendrick Bourne.
He seems like a hard worker and a great teammate and all.
But he missed half of last season.
His season-high in Foxboro was 800 yards in Mac Jones' rookie year.
Amari Cooper is a five-time Pro Bowler with 1,000-plus yards in five of the last six seasons.
And somewhere in the neighborhood of 4 years and $124 million.
(As they say, nice neighborhood.)
All of which begs the question of whether he’s worth the massive investment.
And I’m talking strictly from a Patriots perspective.
Because as far as the Browns go, I don’t have a Dawg in their fight.
That Aiyuk is a $30 million wide receiver is not in question.
That’s the going rate for a guy of his skill, production and age range.
He should be entering his athletic peak, and has already established he’s an elite talent.
And the Pats are uniquely able to pay him.
So they can afford him if they want.
Which probably ought to concern us all.
Especially when Cooper was third with 17.4?
Forgive me, but something’s not right about that.
And and a better one.
And it is the receivers we currently have.
By no means am I suggesting he wouldn’t bring a tremendous upgrade in talent and experience.
Let’s stipulate to that.
It’s a fact not in dispute.
I’m in a place mentally and emotionally where I’m not interested in The Quick Fix.
That is, if we’re interested in doing this right.
That means keeping those high draft picks and filling needs all over the roster.
Starting with, but by no means limited to, both offensive tackle spots.
With or without Aiyuk, that 2nd rounder is probably going to be in the Top 36 or so.
And I’m not OK with going 64 selections on Day 2 of the draft without a pick.
Not for a team still very much in a rebuild.
Juju Smith-Schuster, who’s still somehow here.
But I think I’m just preferring a sane, rational and patient approach.
And not ready to believe putting a huge investment in Aiyuk is going to make much of a difference.
