Cleveland Browns–New England Patriots Trade History

Cleveland Browns received Clark Hoss in the exchange with New England Patriots. Clark Hoss did not produce regular-season value for Cleveland after the move, so the Browns gained little from the player side of the exchange. Against New England Patriots' return of 1973 seventh round pick (undisclosed), that result supports a D+ grade. The transaction is judged as New England Patriots Win, with the mark based on the football value that actually followed from the deal.

Cleveland Browns received Reggie Rucker, while New England Patriots received 1975 fourth round pick (#86-Allen Carter). Cleveland acquired Reggie Rucker while New England received fourth-round No. 86, Allen Carter. The supported history provides enough detail to judge the exchange without overstating uncertain downstream information. Cleveland Browns earns a B+ grade, and the overall verdict is Cleveland Browns Win.

Cleveland Browns received Ron Bolton while New England Patriots received Bob McKay. Cleveland received Ron Bolton, who became a long-term defensive back and remained with the Browns through 1982. His multi-season tenure gave Cleveland durable secondary value and made the acquisition far more than a short-term depth move. That outcome supports a B grade for Cleveland Browns in this trade.

On 1977-10-04, Cleveland Browns received Art Moore (Arthur Moore), while New England Patriots received conditional draft pick (undisclosed). The hindsight verdict is Even Trade, with Cleveland Browns graded C and New England Patriots graded C. The evaluation credits only the consideration that can be traced confidently and keeps uncertain pick details out of the final judgment.

Cleveland sent defensive end Mike St. Clair to New England on February 7, 1980, for the Patriots' sixth-round selection, No. 154 overall. Cleveland later included that choice in a draft-day package with the Rams, while New England received the veteran player. Because the pick became useful trade capital but neither side produced a clearly dominant standalone outcome, the exchange fits best as an even result.

On 1984-07-25, Cleveland Browns received undisclosed conditional draft pick (undisclosed), while New England Patriots received Robin Ham. The hindsight verdict is Even Trade, with Cleveland Browns graded C and New England Patriots graded C. The evaluation follows the documented consideration and the football value that can be traced from it, while keeping unverified downstream pick identities or conditional outcomes out of the final judgment.

Cleveland traded center Mike Baab to New England in August 1988 for a 1989 fifth-round pick, No. 127. Cleveland later moved that pick rather than selecting Vince Workman itself, while Baab immediately became New England's starting center and remained a regular through 1989. The Patriots received two seasons of dependable line play for modest draft capital.

Cleveland acquired guard Fred Childress from New England for the 1992 eighth-round pick used on running back Scott Lockwood at No. 204. Childress played all 16 games for the Browns in 1992, while Lockwood appeared in only six games over two seasons for New England. The margin was modest, but Cleveland received a full season of offensive-line availability for a late pick that produced limited Patriots value.

Cleveland Browns received Rob McGovern in the 1993-08-16 exchange with New England Patriots. Cleveland waived Rob McGovern within days of the exchange, so the Browns did not receive meaningful regular-season service from their acquired player. Against New England Patriots's return of George Williams (b), that outcome supports a C- grade. The transaction is judged Even Trade, with the mark tied to the football value that actually followed from the deal.

New England acquired Andre Davis from Cleveland for a 2006 fifth-round pick that became No. 152, DeMario Minter. Davis produced nine receptions for 190 yards and a touchdown during the Patriots’ 2005 regular season, while Minter never appeared in an NFL regular-season game. The exact pick identity converts an otherwise vague exchange into a modest Patriots win: New England received usable receiver depth, while Cleveland’s draft return produced no on-field NFL value.

Cleveland acquired veteran guard Ross Tucker from New England, but released him before the 2006 regular season. Tucker therefore produced no games, starts, or production for the Browns. Because the draft compensation was conditional on an outcome that did not occur, Cleveland also did not ultimately surrender a conveyed pick.

Cleveland Browns received 2015 3rd round pick (96th overall, Xavier Cooper) and 2015 7th round pick (219th overall, Hayes Pullard) in the 2015-05-01 exchange with New England Patriots. Xavier Cooper and Hayes Pullard did not become lasting Browns cornerstones, limiting the realized return from Cleveland's two selections. The stronger overall return belongs to New England Patriots.

Cleveland Browns received 2017 5th round pick (175th overall subsequently traded, DeAngelo Yancey) in the deal with New England Patriots. Cleveland later used pick 175 with another fifth-rounder to move up and also acquire a seventh-rounder. Matthew Dayes then gave the Browns a full season of return and special-teams work. That outcome supports a C+ for Cleveland Browns. The Even Trade verdict weighs documented games, starts, production and connected draft value.

New England traded Jamie Collins during a championship season rather than carry an approaching free-agent negotiation into the offseason. The Patriots received a 2017 third-round selection and proved they could absorb the football loss, winning Super Bowl LI without him. Collins was a talented and versatile defender, so the move looked risky in real time. In hindsight, New England converted an expiring asset into draft value without damaging its title run.

Cleveland Browns and New England Patriots completed this exchange on 2018-03-14. Cleveland received a future third-round pick, while New England received Danny Shelton and a fifth-round selection. Both teams realized usable value, but Cleveland's stronger future draft asset creates the slight hindsight edge. The final grades are C+ for Cleveland and C for New England, producing a Cleveland Browns Win verdict.

Cleveland traded Jason McCourty and 2018 seventh-round No. 219 to New England for 2018 sixth-round No. 205. The Patriots used No. 219 on Danny Etling, but McCourty was the decisive asset, becoming an important starter on the Super Bowl LIII championship team. Cleveland's incoming pick moved again later, leaving New England with the clear hindsight advantage.

Cleveland Browns received 2018 4th round pick (105th overall, Antonio Callaway) in the 2018-04-28 exchange with New England Patriots. Antonio Callaway gave Cleveland immediate receiving production as a rookie, but his Browns tenure was brief and did not develop into durable long-term value. The direct package is the basis for the hindsight grade, with later movement of an acquired selection treated separately. That supports Even Trade.

Cleveland received the 2019 fifth-round pick at No. 170 and selected kicker Austin Seibert. Seibert gave the Browns a solid rookie season in 2019, but his Cleveland tenure lasted only one full year before he was waived early in 2020. The return was useful but short-lived, leaving Cleveland behind New England's more substantial receiving production from Josh Gordon.

Cleveland received Chase Winovich for Mack Wilson in a linebacker-for-edge swap that became official on March 16, 2022. Winovich gave the Browns eight games, 18 tackles and one sack before leaving after the season. Wilson became a useful two-year Patriots contributor, playing all 34 regular-season games and producing five sacks. New England extracted the longer and more productive return, giving the Patriots the clear hindsight win.

Cleveland Browns received Pierre Strong in the exchange with New England Patriots. Pierre Strong Jr. appeared in every Browns game in 2023 and 14 more in 2024, contributing as a runner, receiver, and returner. Against New England Patriots' return of Tyrone Wheatley Jr., that outcome supports a B grade. The transaction is judged as Cleveland Browns Win, with the mark based on the football value that actually followed from the deal.