As long as we're talking about this, let's look at the facts again. Here are all of BB's 1st round picks/trades:
2001: Seymour at 6 - stay pat
2002: Graham at 21 - trade up from 32
2003a: Warren at 13 - trade up from 14
2003b: Traded out of 19 for #2 and 2004 #1
2004a: Wilfork at 21 - stay pat
2004b: Watson at 32 - stay pat
2005: Mankins at 32 - stay pat
2006: Maroney at 21 - stay pat
2007a: Meriweather at 24 - stay pat
2007b: Traded out of 28 for a 2008 #1
2008: Mayo at 10 - trade down from 7
2009: Traded out of 23 and again 26 in exchange for 2nd and 2 3rds.
2010: McCourty at 27 - trade down from 22
In summary:
6 of the 13 times, BB has stayed put.
9 of the 13 times, BB has picked within 5 slots of the original position.
2 of 13 times, the Pats have traded out of the 1st for a future #1
Once they traded up 11 spots.
Once they traded way down and out of the 1st.
If we're talking 1st round only, then no, he doesn't trade up much. But I believe BB is big on value, and the cost to trade up in the 1st round, especially a big jump, is extremely high. Which is why you find he's more than willing to trade back in those scenarios. They present much more value.
Last year for example, he traded back numerous times in the first round. But he traded up a few spots early in the second, then traded back a few more times in the second. If you look at what he did though, you can see it's extremely value-driven.
To move up early in the 2nd round from 44 to 42, he gave up only a 6th rounder (pick 190) to secure Gronk. He was probably worried about Baltimore, picking at 43, taking Gronk. Instead, Baltimore ended up with Sergio Kindle. Well worth the 6th rounder.
Conversely, later on in the 2nd round, he traded down from 58 to 62, in exchange for a 5th rounder. It was a few more spots than the earlier trade-up, but later in the 2nd round with fewer players on the board, and he was able to extract a pick a 5th rounder (145) significantly higher than what he gave up earlier.
That's great value. Trade up 2 spots to get your guy and only give up pick 190. Trade down 4 spots, still get your guy, and gain pick 145.
And for trading down 11 spots and taking Cunningham, BB squeezed a 3rd rounder out of it, the 3rd rounder that would be traded to Carolina for our 2nd rounder in 2011, #33 in the draft.
The current cost to move up in round 1 is extremely high though, and I'd imagine it doesn't make much sense in most scenarios.