There’s a good chance the New England Patriots will make a trade (or several) in the 2019 NFL Draft thanks to the number of picks they currently own.
The Patriots, whose first selection lands at No. 32 overall by virtue of their Super Bowl LIII win over the Los Angeles Rams, have 12 picks to work with, including six in the first three rounds. Bill Belichick can be flexible in augmenting New England’s roster as the organization looks for its seventh title.
That said, not all draft-day trades are created equal, and the Patriots have made some good moves and some bad moves over the years. One draft-day swap in particular, however, stands out from the pack.
ESPN.com published a piece Monday identifying the most impactful draft-day trades — good or bad — for each of the NFL’s 32 teams. Mike Reiss, the network’s Patriots reporter, was responsible for picking New England’s most meaningful draft-day trade.
Reiss pointed to the Patriots acquiring wide receiver Randy Moss from the Oakland Raiders during the 2007 NFL Draft in exchange for a fourth-round pick. Here’s what he wrote:
What a bargain. Moss went on to set the NFL record for most touchdown receptions in a season (23), giving quarterback Tom Brady the elite No. 1 weapon he has so seldom had over his career. In large part due to Moss’ standout season, the Patriots posted a 16-0 regular-season record before they were upset by the Giants in Super Bowl XLII.
Moss spent just three-plus seasons with the Patriots and didn’t win a Super Bowl, as New England’s bid for perfection during the 2007 campaign ended with a Super Bowl XLII loss to the New York Giants. He’s still one of the greatest receivers in NFL history, though, and sure did some impressive work in his relatively brief stint with the Pats.
Moss totaled 98 catches for 1,493 yards with an NFL record 23 touchdown receptions in his first season with New England. He racked up 259 grabs for 3,904 yards with 50 touchdowns in 52 games with the Patriots overall.
