Detroit Lions–New England Patriots Trade History

New England acquired punter Jim Benien from Detroit on July 31, 1972 and sent the Lions its 1973 fifth-round choice. Multiple later Patriots media guides identify the compensation as a fifth-rounder, while one older guide lists a fourth. New England retained and used its own fourth-round pick, supporting the fifth-round account. The exact conveyed fifth-round selection remains unidentified, and Detroit receives a slight value edge without inventing it.

Detroit purchased Archie Pearmon from New England for cash on August 7, 1974. Pearmon did not develop into meaningful regular-season value for the Lions, while the Patriots at least converted a preseason roster asset into consideration. With the cash amount undisclosed and the stakes small, New England earns only a modest C+ to D+ win.

Detroit obtained two future selections. The sixth-round choice is tied in the surviving transaction record to Horace King with some qualification, while the 1976 eighth-rounder became Rich Sorenson. King went on to become the durable piece in the transaction and gave Detroit years of useful backfield production. That result supports a B+ grade within the Detroit Lions Win verdict.

Detroit Lions received Jon Morris in the deal with New England Patriots. Jon Morris became an immediate full-time center for Detroit and started all 42 Lions games from 1975 through 1977. That result supports a A- for Detroit Lions. The Detroit Lions Win verdict weighs the documented service and usable draft value each side actually realized from the exchange.

Detroit sent Marlin Briscoe to New England for a 1977 sixth-round pick that became Reggie Pinkney. Briscoe gave the Patriots one season, playing 14 games with five starts and 136 receiving yards. Pinkney played 24 games for Detroit over two seasons, started three and intercepted three passes. Neither return was large, but Detroit received slightly more durable value.

Detroit's supported return was Bob McKay, but the tackle was sent back to New England roughly one month later. That brief stay did not create enough durable Lions value to separate the trade. The grade remains tied to documented value for the acquiring club, without assigning credit for unresolved or hypothetical downstream consideration.

Detroit received New England's 1979 twelfth-round pick for Bob McKay and used No. 326 on Bryan Sweeney. Sweeney never appeared in an NFL regular-season game, so the Lions' draft return produced no realized league value. Detroit gained a selection, but the player chosen with it did not become a contributor.

Detroit Lions received 1981 ninth round pick (#240-Dave Martin (b)) in the 1980-07-24 exchange with New England Patriots. New England acquired veteran linebacker Ed O'Neil from Detroit on July 24, 1980 for the 1981 ninth-round choice that became Dave Martin. Transaction records support the exact player-for-pick package. The documented result supports a C grade for Detroit Lions. The overall verdict is New England Patriots Win, based on realized value rather than hypothetical upside.

Detroit received 1992 pick No. 145 from New England and used it on offensive tackle Larry Tharpe, while the Patriots received Nos. 165, 194, 277 and 333. The exact transaction date is not firmly established, so the existing January 1 sentinel date is retained. Tharpe became the most substantial NFL contributor produced by the exchange, giving Detroit the clear hindsight edge.

Detroit moved up 10 spots in the third round for defensive back Ryan Stewart, sending New England the 86th, 119th and 195th picks. Stewart played 41 NFL games with only two starts. The Patriots used No. 86 on Tedy Bruschi, who became a franchise cornerstone, three-time Super Bowl champion and Pro Bowler. New England also received two additional picks, making this one of the clearest wins in the wave.

New England moved up two spots in the 2001 second round and selected tackle Matt Light, while Detroit turned the return into center Dominic Raiola and linebacker Jason Glenn. Light started 153 games and won three Super Bowls with New England. Raiola was also an exceptional long-term return, appearing in 219 games and starting 203. The Patriots win narrowly because Light paired elite durability with championship-level value.

Detroit Lions received 2001 5th round pick (149th overall, Mike McMahon) in the 2001-04-22 exchange with New England Patriots. Mike McMahon gave Detroit multiple seasons of quarterback depth and several starts, the clearest realized value in the exchange. The direct package, rather than later movement of any acquired asset, is the basis for the hindsight judgment. Against what Detroit Lions surrendered, the result supports Detroit Lions Win.

Detroit Lions received 2005 5th round pick (145th overall, Dan Orlovsky) and 2005 6th round pick (206th overall, Jonathan Goddard) in the 2005-04-24 exchange with New England Patriots. Dan Orlovsky supplied years of quarterback depth and spot-start value for Detroit; Jonathan Goddard added little. The direct package, rather than later movement of any acquired asset, is the basis for the hindsight judgment. Against what Detroit Lions surrendered, the result supports Detroit Lions Win.

Detroit traded Kyle Van Noy and a 2017 seventh-round pick to New England for a 2017 sixth-rounder that became Brad Kaaya. Van Noy quickly found a larger role in the Patriots defense, became a multi-year starter and contributed to championship teams. Kaaya never became a Detroit solution, and the Lions received essentially no lasting return. New England's acquisition became a textbook fit-and-development success.

New England moved up to No. 85 in the 2017 draft for tackle Antonio Garcia, sending Detroit picks No. 96 and No. 124. Garcia never appeared in a regular-season game for the Patriots. Detroit used the selections on Kenny Golladay and Jalen Reeves-Maybin. Golladay became a Pro Bowl receiver and league touchdown leader, while Reeves-Maybin developed into a long-tenured linebacker and elite special-teams contributor.

Detroit Lions received 2019 6th round pick (204th overall subsequently traded, Travis Homer) in the deal with New England Patriots. Detroit later packaged pick 204 with pick 88 to move to No. 81 for Will Harris. The late-round asset therefore helped the Lions reach a substantially higher draft slot with longer roster utility. That outcome supports a B+ for Detroit Lions. The Detroit Lions Win verdict weighs documented games, starts, production and connected draft value.

Detroit moved from No. 51 to No. 43 in the 2018 second round, sending New England picks No. 51 and No. 117 to select running back Kerryon Johnson. Kerryon Johnson flashed as a rookie and topped 1,000 scrimmage yards in 2018, but injuries limited his Detroit tenure and he was gone after three seasons. New England turned the two selections into additional draft capital rather than one long-term star, giving the Patriots broader value and the better risk-adjusted return.

Detroit sent New England a 2019 third-round pick in exchange for the No. 114 pick in the 2018 draft, which the Lions used on defensive lineman Da'Shawn Hand. Detroit used No. 114 on Da'Shawn Hand, who had a promising rookie season but struggled to stay healthy and never became a long-term fixture. New England received a 2019 third-round pick, preserving future draft value but ultimately moving that selection again. Neither side converted the exchange into a lasting cornerstone, leaving the realized return close enough for an even verdict.

Detroit acquired Duron Harmon plus No. 235, later used on Jashon Cornell. Harmon immediately became a full-time starter in 2020, starting all 16 games, playing nearly every defensive snap, making 73 tackles, and intercepting two passes. Cornell added only one Detroit appearance, but Harmon's one-season workload alone supplied substantial direct value and made the Lions' side productive.

Detroit Lions received conditional 2022 seventh-round pick (not conveyed) from New England Patriots. Detroit’s return was a conditional 2022 seventh-round pick, and the condition was never satisfied. The pick was not conveyed, so the Lions received no realized draft value from the transaction. That outcome supports a D grade for Detroit Lions when the trade is measured by the football value actually realized after the exchange.

Detroit moved up from No. 182 to No. 171 in the 2025 draft by also sending pick No. 228 to New England. The Lions selected guard Miles Frazier, while the Patriots took kicker Andy Borregales at 182 and later recycled 228 into additional seventh-round capital. Borregales' record-setting 134-point rookie season gives New England the clear early edge.