New England acquired punter Monte Robbins from Washington for…
New England acquired punter Monte Robbins from Washington for a 1990 fourth-round selection that historical records identify as No. 86. The pick later returned to Washington through a separate 1990 draft-day trade and should not be conflated with the Robbins transaction. With neither direct return creating a major durable advantage, the original exchange grades close to even.
New England Patriots Received
- player Monte Robbins
Washington Commanders Received
- pick 1990 4th round pick (#86)
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
New England acquired punter Monte Robbins from Washington on April 26, 1989. In return, Washington received the Patriots' 1990 fourth-round selection, which historical Patriots material resolves as No. 86. The same No. 86 later moved back to Washington during the 1990 draft, but that was a separate transaction. It should not be merged into the original Robbins trade.
Washington Commanders Return
Washington converted a punter into a fourth-round draft asset, a reasonable piece of value for the position. The fact that No. 86 later came back to Washington through another trade does not erase the value Washington initially received; it simply becomes part of the pick's downstream history. The original deal gave Washington useful draft flexibility without producing a clearly dominant long-term payoff.
New England Patriots Return
New England chose immediate special-teams help by acquiring Robbins. The Patriots received the player they targeted, but Robbins did not create enough enduring value to make surrendering a fourth-round selection look like a major bargain. The cost was meaningful enough to matter, yet not so large that a modest player return becomes a serious mistake.
Value in Hindsight
The most important historical point is keeping the transactions separate. No. 86's later return to Washington, followed by Washington's use of the selection on Cary Conklin, belongs to a later draft-day chain. Once that is removed from the direct package, the 1989 trade is a straightforward punter-for-pick exchange with limited realized separation.
Final Verdict
Both teams receive a C. Washington gained a legitimate fourth-round asset, while New England acquired immediate special-teams help. Neither side turned its return into substantial durable value, and the later movement of No. 86 should not artificially inflate or diminish the original result. The cleanest hindsight verdict is an Even Trade.