Tampa Bay moved from No. 8 to No. 6 in the 1997 draft by…
Tampa Bay moved from No. 8 to No. 6 in the 1997 draft by sending the Jets a fourth-round pick. The Buccaneers immediately flipped No. 6 to Seattle for picks 12 and 63, selecting Warrick Dunn and adding capital used on Frank Middleton. New York drafted James Farrior and Leon Johnson. Both teams gained useful players, but Tampa Bay's two-step maneuver created the stronger return.
New York Jets Received
- pick 1997 1st round pick (8th overall, James Farrior)
- pick 1997 4th round pick (104th overall, Leon Johnson)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Received
- pick 1997 1st round pick (6th overall subsequently traded, Walter Jones )
Trade Analysis
This transaction is best understood as the middle link in a three-team sequence. The Jets had already moved from No. 1 to No. 6 in the Orlando Pace trade. Tampa Bay then sent No. 8 and No. 104 to New York for No. 6. The Buccaneers did not make a selection there. One day later, they sent No. 6 to Seattle for No. 12 and No. 63, turning the original move up into a move back that improved their third-round position.
Tampa Bay used No. 12 on running back Warrick Dunn, who became an immediate offensive weapon, earned Pro Bowl recognition and produced nearly 5,000 rushing yards during his first Buccaneers stint before later returning to the franchise. The acquired third-rounder became Frank Middleton, a multi-year NFL starter. In practical terms, Tampa Bay transformed No. 8 and a fourth-rounder into Dunn and a third-round starting lineman.
The Jets also did well. At No. 8 they drafted linebacker James Farrior, who spent five seasons in New York before becoming an All-Pro centerpiece in Pittsburgh. No. 104 became Leon Johnson, a versatile running back and returner who contributed for several seasons. New York therefore received legitimate value from both selections, even though Farrior's greatest years came after he left the club.
The trade was not lopsided. Both front offices used the exchange to reshape the board and both found NFL contributors. Tampa Bay gets the edge because the sixth pick became leverage for a second trade that produced Dunn, the best direct team-specific outcome in the chain, while also recouping a third-rounder. An A for Tampa Bay and a B for New York reflect two successful approaches with a slight advantage to the Buccaneers.