Minnesota exchanged a future 1989 ninth-round pick for New…
Minnesota exchanged a future 1989 ninth-round pick for New England's 1988 eleventh-round selection, moving into the current draft to take Norman Floyd at No. 296. The Patriots later held No. 247 in 1989, used on Curtis Wilson. Neither player appeared in an NFL regular-season game. With no meaningful on-field return on either side, the trade finished almost exactly where its low draft cost suggested: even.
Minnesota Vikings Received
- pick 1988 eleventh round pick (#296-Norman Floyd)
New England Patriots Received
- pick 1989 ninth round pick (#247-Curtis Wilson)
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
During the 1988 draft, Minnesota acquired the No. 296 selection in the eleventh round from New England and sent back a 1989 ninth-round pick. The Vikings used No. 296 on Norman Floyd. One year later, the Patriots' acquired choice landed at No. 247 and was used on Curtis Wilson. This was a classic late-round time-value swap: Minnesota moved into the current draft, while New England waited a year for a higher round.
Minnesota Vikings Return
Floyd represented the Vikings' immediate payoff. The selection gave Minnesota another developmental prospect without giving up a current-year pick, but the bet did not translate into regular-season NFL production. Floyd never appeared in an NFL regular-season game. That makes the practical return zero, even though the original cost was appropriately small for an eleventh-round lottery ticket.
New England Patriots Return
New England improved the nominal round of its asset by waiting until the next draft. The future ninth-round choice became Curtis Wilson at No. 247. Wilson likewise did not play in an NFL regular-season game. The Patriots therefore won the paper-value portion of the exchange but did not convert that improved slot into actual roster production.
Value in Hindsight
Late-round trades can be won with even one useful reserve or special-teams player. This one produced none. Minnesota got earlier access to a prospect, and New England received the theoretically stronger future pick, but both drafted outcomes stopped short of the regular-season roster. The round improvement alone is too small to create a meaningful hindsight advantage when the final production is identical.
Final Verdict
Even Trade, C for both teams. The structure was reasonable on each side and the cost was minimal, but neither Norman Floyd nor Curtis Wilson produced NFL regular-season value. There is no durable outcome that justifies awarding a winner.