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Sometimes a comment gets repeated so often it becomes accepted as fact. One of those comments is that Bill Belichick always trades down, he never trades up. For some opposing fans and media members, this has actually grown beyond the original statement as I now hear and read that Belichick hates first round picks.
With that in mind I decided to take a look at transactions involving draft picks during Belichick's tenure with the Pats. While Belichick is indeed more likely to trade down than trade up, you have to also take a closer look at those definitions. Trading down may be defined as anything resulting in making the selection later, but very often the Pats are actually ending up with a higher draft pick - but in the following season. Also, there is no evidence that I can see that shows Belichick loathes first round picks. And the last thing that stood out to me is how many compensatory picks the Pats have been able to pick up this decade.
Here is a list of transactions involving draft picks during Bill Belichick's tenure with the Pats.
2009
In - Pre-Draft Day: Pats trade QB Matt Cassel and LB Mike Vrabel to Chiefs for their #34 (2nd)
Prior - Pats acquired #47 (2nd) in 2008 trade
Comp - #97 (3rd) as comp for FA Asante Samuel
Out - Pats traded # 159 to Eagles for WR Greg Lewis
Comp - # 170 (5th) as comp for FA Donte Stallworth
Comp - # 207 (6th) as comp for FA Randall Gay
2008
Down - Draft Day: Pats trade their #7 (1st) and #164 (5th) to the Saints for their #10 (1st) and #78 (3rd)
Pats pick LB Jerod Mayo at #10 and LB Shawn Crable at #78
Saints pick DT Sedrick Ellis at #7 and OT Carl Nicks at #164
Down/Future - Draft Day: Pats trade their #69 (3rd) to the Chargers for their #160 (5th) and a 2nd round 2009 pick (#47)
Chargers pick FB Jacob Hester at #69
Pats trade pick # 160 later, and the other pick will be made Saturday
Up - Draft Day: Pats trade that #160 (5th) and #238 (7th) to the Bucs for their #153 (5th)
Pats pick WR Matt Slater at #153
Bucs pick QB Josh Johnson at #160 and RB Cory Boyd with #238
Down - Pre-Draft Day: Pats trade #28 (1st) of 2007 for a 1st round 2008 pick (#7) and #110 (4th) in 2007
49ers pick OL Joe Staley at #28
Pats trade #7 (above) and end up with Jerod Mayo and Shawn Crable
Pats trade #110 (4th) for Randy Moss
2007
In - Pre-Draft Day: Pats trade WR Deion Branch in 2006 to Seahawks for their 1st round 2007 pick (#24)
Pats pick Brandon Meriweather at #24 (1st) in 2007
Out - Pre-Draft Day: Pats trade # 165 (5th) for WR Doug Gabriel
Raiders pick S Eric Frampton at #165
In - Pre-Draft Day: Pats trade WR Deion Branch to Seahawks for their 1st round pick (#24)
Pats pick Brandon Meriweather at #24 (1st) in 2007
Out - Pre-Draft Day: Pats trade #60 (2nd) and #238 (7th) to Dolphins for WR Wes Welker
Dolphins pick C Samson Satele and DE Abraham Wright
Down/Future - Pre-Draft Day: Pats trade #28 (1st) of 2007 for a 1st round 2008 pick (#7) and #110 (4th) in 2007
49ers pick OL Joe Staley at #28
Pats trade #7 (above, in '08) and end up with Jerod Mayo and Shawn Crable
Pats trade #110 (below)
Out - Draft Day: Pats trade #110 (4th) for Randy Moss to Raiders
Raiders pick CB John Bowie
Down/Future - Draft Day: Pats trade #91 (3rd) for a a 3rd in 2008 and 7th (#211) this year
Raiders pick T Mario Henderson at #91
Pats pick LB Oscar Lua at #211
Pats use 3rd in 2008 to trade up to 2nd in 2009 (Jacob Hester trade)
In - Pats trade T Brandin Gorin for the Cardinals 6th (#180)
Pats pick LB Justin Rogers
Comp - #171 (5th) for FA Adam Vinatieri
Pats pick OL Clint Oldenburg
Comp - #208 (6th) for FA David Givens
Pats pick RB Justise Hairston
Comp - #209 (6th) for FA Tom Ashworth
Pats pick OT Corey Hilliard
Comp - #247 (7th) for FA Christian Fauria
Pats pick C Mike Elgin
After the 2006 draft, the Pats also traded OL Ross Tucker to the Browns and RB Patrick Cobbs to the Steelers for conditional draft picks, but it appears the Pats did not get any draft picks in return for either player.
2006
Out - Pre-Draft Day: Pats trade #152 (5th) to Browns for WR Andre Davis
Browns pick DB DeMario Minter
Up - Draft Day Trade: Pats trade #52 (2nd) for Packers # 36 (2nd) and #75 (3rd)
Pats pick WR Chad Jackson
Packers pick WR Greg Jennings and C Jaspn Spitz
Prior - Pats acquired #106 in a 2005 trade
Pats pick FB Garrett Mills
Prior - Pats acquired #136 in a 2005 trade
Pats pick OT Ryan O'Callaghan
Comp - #205
Pats pick G Dan Stevenson
Comp - #206
Pats pick DL LeKevin Smith
2005
Out - Pre-Draft Day: Pats trade #95 (3rd) and #168 (5th) to Cardinals for CB Duane Starks and #145 (5th)
Cardinals pick LB Darryl Blackstock and LB Lance Mitchell
Pats trade the #145 pick to the Lions (below)
Future - Draft Day Trade: Pats trade # 145 (5th) and #206 (6th) to Lions for a 4th in 2006 (#106)
Pats pick FB Garrett Mills in 2006
Lions pick QB Dan Orlovsky and DE Jonathan Goddard
Down - Draft Day Trade: Pats trade #64 (2nd) to Ravens for a 3rd (#84), 6th (#195) and a 2006 3rd (#75)
Ravens pick OT Adam Terry
Pats pick CB Ellis Hobbs at #84; the other two picks are later traded to Green Bay (Chad Jackson trade)
Up - Draft Day Trade: Pats trade #195 (6th) and #246 (7th) to Packers for #175 (6th)
Packers pick WR Craig Bragg and G William Whitticker
Pats later trade the #175 pick to the Raiders (below)
Down/Future - Draft Day trade: Pats trade #175 (6th) to Raiders for #230 (7th) and a 2006 5th (#136)
Raiders pick DT Anttaj Hawthorne
Pats pick QB Matt Cassel (and in 2006 pick T Ryan O'Callaghan)
Comp - #100 (4th)
Pats pick OG Nick Kaczur
Comp - #170 (5th)
Pats pick LB Ryan Claridge
Comp - #255 (7th)
Pats pick TE Andy Stokes
2004
Out - Pre-Draft Trade: Pats trade #56 to the Bengals for RB Corey Dillon
Bengals pick FS Madieu Williams
Out - Pre-Draft Trade: In 2003 the Pats trade #104 (4th) of 2004 to the Bears for NT Ted Washington
Bears trade pick; 49ers pick DT Isaac Sopoaga
Out - Pre-Draft: Pats give up #197 (6th) to Steelers in compensation for signing RFA DE Rodney Bailey
Steelers pick C Drew Caylor
Prior - Pats acquired #21 in a 2003 trade
Pats pick DT Vince Wilfork
Prior - Pats acquired #113 in a 2003 trade
Pats pick S Dexter Reid
continued
With that in mind I decided to take a look at transactions involving draft picks during Belichick's tenure with the Pats. While Belichick is indeed more likely to trade down than trade up, you have to also take a closer look at those definitions. Trading down may be defined as anything resulting in making the selection later, but very often the Pats are actually ending up with a higher draft pick - but in the following season. Also, there is no evidence that I can see that shows Belichick loathes first round picks. And the last thing that stood out to me is how many compensatory picks the Pats have been able to pick up this decade.
Here is a list of transactions involving draft picks during Bill Belichick's tenure with the Pats.
2009
In - Pre-Draft Day: Pats trade QB Matt Cassel and LB Mike Vrabel to Chiefs for their #34 (2nd)
Prior - Pats acquired #47 (2nd) in 2008 trade
Comp - #97 (3rd) as comp for FA Asante Samuel
Out - Pats traded # 159 to Eagles for WR Greg Lewis
Comp - # 170 (5th) as comp for FA Donte Stallworth
Comp - # 207 (6th) as comp for FA Randall Gay
2008
Down - Draft Day: Pats trade their #7 (1st) and #164 (5th) to the Saints for their #10 (1st) and #78 (3rd)
Pats pick LB Jerod Mayo at #10 and LB Shawn Crable at #78
Saints pick DT Sedrick Ellis at #7 and OT Carl Nicks at #164
Down/Future - Draft Day: Pats trade their #69 (3rd) to the Chargers for their #160 (5th) and a 2nd round 2009 pick (#47)
Chargers pick FB Jacob Hester at #69
Pats trade pick # 160 later, and the other pick will be made Saturday
Up - Draft Day: Pats trade that #160 (5th) and #238 (7th) to the Bucs for their #153 (5th)
Pats pick WR Matt Slater at #153
Bucs pick QB Josh Johnson at #160 and RB Cory Boyd with #238
Down - Pre-Draft Day: Pats trade #28 (1st) of 2007 for a 1st round 2008 pick (#7) and #110 (4th) in 2007
49ers pick OL Joe Staley at #28
Pats trade #7 (above) and end up with Jerod Mayo and Shawn Crable
Pats trade #110 (4th) for Randy Moss
2007
In - Pre-Draft Day: Pats trade WR Deion Branch in 2006 to Seahawks for their 1st round 2007 pick (#24)
Pats pick Brandon Meriweather at #24 (1st) in 2007
Out - Pre-Draft Day: Pats trade # 165 (5th) for WR Doug Gabriel
Raiders pick S Eric Frampton at #165
In - Pre-Draft Day: Pats trade WR Deion Branch to Seahawks for their 1st round pick (#24)
Pats pick Brandon Meriweather at #24 (1st) in 2007
Out - Pre-Draft Day: Pats trade #60 (2nd) and #238 (7th) to Dolphins for WR Wes Welker
Dolphins pick C Samson Satele and DE Abraham Wright
Down/Future - Pre-Draft Day: Pats trade #28 (1st) of 2007 for a 1st round 2008 pick (#7) and #110 (4th) in 2007
49ers pick OL Joe Staley at #28
Pats trade #7 (above, in '08) and end up with Jerod Mayo and Shawn Crable
Pats trade #110 (below)
Out - Draft Day: Pats trade #110 (4th) for Randy Moss to Raiders
Raiders pick CB John Bowie
Down/Future - Draft Day: Pats trade #91 (3rd) for a a 3rd in 2008 and 7th (#211) this year
Raiders pick T Mario Henderson at #91
Pats pick LB Oscar Lua at #211
Pats use 3rd in 2008 to trade up to 2nd in 2009 (Jacob Hester trade)
In - Pats trade T Brandin Gorin for the Cardinals 6th (#180)
Pats pick LB Justin Rogers
Comp - #171 (5th) for FA Adam Vinatieri
Pats pick OL Clint Oldenburg
Comp - #208 (6th) for FA David Givens
Pats pick RB Justise Hairston
Comp - #209 (6th) for FA Tom Ashworth
Pats pick OT Corey Hilliard
Comp - #247 (7th) for FA Christian Fauria
Pats pick C Mike Elgin
After the 2006 draft, the Pats also traded OL Ross Tucker to the Browns and RB Patrick Cobbs to the Steelers for conditional draft picks, but it appears the Pats did not get any draft picks in return for either player.
2006
Out - Pre-Draft Day: Pats trade #152 (5th) to Browns for WR Andre Davis
Browns pick DB DeMario Minter
Up - Draft Day Trade: Pats trade #52 (2nd) for Packers # 36 (2nd) and #75 (3rd)
Pats pick WR Chad Jackson
Packers pick WR Greg Jennings and C Jaspn Spitz
Prior - Pats acquired #106 in a 2005 trade
Pats pick FB Garrett Mills
Prior - Pats acquired #136 in a 2005 trade
Pats pick OT Ryan O'Callaghan
Comp - #205
Pats pick G Dan Stevenson
Comp - #206
Pats pick DL LeKevin Smith
2005
Out - Pre-Draft Day: Pats trade #95 (3rd) and #168 (5th) to Cardinals for CB Duane Starks and #145 (5th)
Cardinals pick LB Darryl Blackstock and LB Lance Mitchell
Pats trade the #145 pick to the Lions (below)
Future - Draft Day Trade: Pats trade # 145 (5th) and #206 (6th) to Lions for a 4th in 2006 (#106)
Pats pick FB Garrett Mills in 2006
Lions pick QB Dan Orlovsky and DE Jonathan Goddard
Down - Draft Day Trade: Pats trade #64 (2nd) to Ravens for a 3rd (#84), 6th (#195) and a 2006 3rd (#75)
Ravens pick OT Adam Terry
Pats pick CB Ellis Hobbs at #84; the other two picks are later traded to Green Bay (Chad Jackson trade)
Up - Draft Day Trade: Pats trade #195 (6th) and #246 (7th) to Packers for #175 (6th)
Packers pick WR Craig Bragg and G William Whitticker
Pats later trade the #175 pick to the Raiders (below)
Down/Future - Draft Day trade: Pats trade #175 (6th) to Raiders for #230 (7th) and a 2006 5th (#136)
Raiders pick DT Anttaj Hawthorne
Pats pick QB Matt Cassel (and in 2006 pick T Ryan O'Callaghan)
Comp - #100 (4th)
Pats pick OG Nick Kaczur
Comp - #170 (5th)
Pats pick LB Ryan Claridge
Comp - #255 (7th)
Pats pick TE Andy Stokes
2004
Out - Pre-Draft Trade: Pats trade #56 to the Bengals for RB Corey Dillon
Bengals pick FS Madieu Williams
Out - Pre-Draft Trade: In 2003 the Pats trade #104 (4th) of 2004 to the Bears for NT Ted Washington
Bears trade pick; 49ers pick DT Isaac Sopoaga
Out - Pre-Draft: Pats give up #197 (6th) to Steelers in compensation for signing RFA DE Rodney Bailey
Steelers pick C Drew Caylor
Prior - Pats acquired #21 in a 2003 trade
Pats pick DT Vince Wilfork
Prior - Pats acquired #113 in a 2003 trade
Pats pick S Dexter Reid
continued