7 in-season Patriots trades during the Bill Belichick era
The Patriots have seen important players come and go during the season over the years.
The Patriots have never been afraid to make in-season changes under Bill Belichick. In fact, given the frequency that it’s happened during the last 20 years, it’s almost more surprising when New England doesn’t make a trade.
The most recent example of this occurred earlier this week when the Patriots announced the acquisition of wide receiver Mohamed Sanu from the Falcons for a second-round pick.
#Patriots acquire WR Mohamed Sanu in a trade with Atlanta; make a number of additional roster transactions: https://t.co/QGDFeS0gAJ
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) October 23, 2019
Here’s a look at a few other notable in-season deals the Patriots have done during the Belichick era.
Trades out:
Deion Branch
: A day after the Patriots’ season opener in 2006, Belichick traded Branch — a Super Bowl MVP — to the Seahawks for a first-round pick. Given that he was Tom Brady’s favorite target, and that the Patriots had also lost David Givens in free agency, it left the team’s offense scrambling (though New England would still reach the AFC Championship).
“I don’t think any of us envisioned something like this happening,” said Patriots defensive lineman Richard Seymour. “It took the air out of me. It really did.”
The Patriots would use the acquired pick to draft safety Brandon Meriweather with the 24th selection in the 2007 draft).
Randy Moss: Moss was acquired in the offseason prior to the 2007 season partially as a result of the Branch trade, as Belichick sought to give Brady weapons in the offense. Moss proceeded to set the single-season record for touchdown catches in his first season.
But by 2010, Moss’s time in New England was up. The Patriots sent him back to the Vikings on Oct. 6 in exchange for a 2012 seventh-rounder and 2011 third-round pick. The Patriots would use the third-round pick to select quarterback Ryan Mallett.
Jamie Collins: After excelling in his first three seasons with the Patriots, including a win in Super Bowl XLIX, Collins was unexpectedly traded at the 2016 deadline to the Browns. According to Adam Schefter, Collins was on the verge of asking for “Von Miller money” from the Patriots.
The talented linebacker spent two-and-a-half forgettable seasons in Cleveland before returning to the Patriots in 2019. So far in the current season, Collins has been exceptional as a playmaker in the league’s top-ranked defense.
Jimmy Garoppolo: In what became a point of internal Patriots controversy afterward, New England sent its heir apparent quarterback to the 49ers on Oct. 31 in 2017. In return, the Patriots received a second-round pick.
The jury is still out on Garoppolo’s tenure in San Francisco (his 2018 season ended in September with a torn ACL). Still, the 49ers are 6-0 in 2019, the only other undefeated team alongside the 7-0 Patriots.
Trades in:
Deion Branch
: Branch appears on the list twice because of the Patriots’ decision to re-acquire the wide receiver in October of 2010. New England sent a fourth-round pick back to the Seahawks in order to reunite Brady with a player he had demonstrated chemistry with.
Branch totaled 706 yards receiving for the Patriots over the remainder of the season, hauling in five touchdowns. He would stay in New England for parts of the next two seasons. Seattle would use the fourth-round pick to draft longtime starting linebacker K.J. Wright.
Aqib Talib: In need of help in the secondary during the 2012 season, Belichick sent a fourth-rounder to the Buccaneers in exchange for Talib, a 26-year-old cornerback. The move was seen as a low risk/high reward strategy, as Talib had gone through multiple legal troubles after being a first-round pick by the Buccaneers in 2008.
Talib flourished in New England, becoming a legitimate shutdown cornerback. However, he left in free agency for the rival Broncos in 2014, eventually helping Denver win Super Bowl 50.
Kyle Van Noy: When the Patriots traded for Van Noy in October of 2016, the deal was initially seen as an afterthought to add linebacker depth. Then, Belichick made his second major deal that month (the Collins trade). And though he was initially skeptical of what his role would be in New England, Van Noy has grown indispensable.
The terms of the deal now look staggeringly in favor of the Patriots. New England sent its 2017 sixth-round pick to the Lions for Van Noy and a Detroit seventh-round pick.
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com