Team’s approach to NFL trade deadline varies year to year
With the NFL trade deadline looming Tuesday, let’s take a look back at how Bill Belichick has handled the process over the last 15 years. These are moves that have been made within a week or so of that year’s deadline. (For purposes of this exercise, we’ll also include some of the bigger roster moves, which include releases as well as trades.)
2021 and 2022: No moves.
2020: The Patriots acquired wide receiver Isaiah Ford at the deadline in a deal that saw them ship a conditional seventh-round pick to Miami. Ford was on the roster for four games — he did not catch a pass — and was eventually waived. Just over a month after the deal was consummated, Ford ended up resigning with the Dolphins.
2019: The Patriots made a pair of significant deals in the week before the deadline. In one deal, they traded disgruntled defensive lineman Michael Bennett to Dallas for a conditional sixth-round pick. In addition, they acquired wide receiver Mohamed Sanu in exchange for a second-round choice. In eight games (six starts) with the Patriots, Sanu had 26 catches in 47 targets for 207 yards and a touchdown. He was released before the start of the 2020 season.
2018: No moves.
2017: The big one. New England dealt quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo to the 49ers for a second-round pick. Garoppolo had success with San Francisco, leading it to an NFC title in 2019. The 31-year-old is currently the starter in Las Vegas.
2016: The Patriots were involved in three moves. One, they sent linebacker Jamie Collins to Cleveland for a draft pick. Two, the Lions sent linebacker Kyle Van Noy and a seventh-round pick to the Patriots in exchange for a sixthround choice. And three, they dealt a fifth-round pick to the Broncos for tight end AJ Derby. Van Noy would become a key defensive piece, while Collins would end up returning to the Patriots for the 2019 season.
2015: In the weeks leading up to the deadline, the Patriots acquired defensive lineman Akiem Hicks from New Orleans for tight end Michael Hoomanawanui, and linebacker Jonathan Bostic from Chicago for a sixthround pick. Hicks grew into a rotation role in his one season, playing 13 games and finishing with three sacks.
2014: In the week leading up to the deadline, the Patriots added some defensive depth at linebacker. Akeem Ayers and a seventh-round choice went from Tennessee to New England for a sixth-rounder. In addition, linebacker Jonathan Casillas and a sixth-round draft pick were dealt from Tampa Bay to the Patriots in exchange for a fifthround choice. Both played excellent complementary roles that year before moving on.
2012: Belichick made his biggest deadline deal on defense when he shipped a fourth-round pick to Tampa Bay in exchange for cornerback Aqib Talib and a seventh-round draft choice. Talib became a foundational piece of the puzzle and played a season-plus before signing with Denver prior to the start of the 2014 campaign.
2011: No moves.
2010: The Patriots radically remade their wide receivers room in the days leading up to the deadline. First, they traded Randy Moss to Minnesota for a third-round pick. Then, almost a week later, they reacquired Deion Branch by sending a fourth-round pick to Seattle. The boost provided a jump start for the passing game.
2009: New England didn’t make any trades around the deadline, but it did release veteran receiver Joey Galloway, who never quite clicked with Tom Brady, and tight end Michael Matthews.
2008: No moves.