New England moved from No. 20 to No. 17 in the 1999 first…
New England moved from No. 20 to No. 17 in the 1999 first round, sending Seattle a third-rounder and sixth-rounder to select center Damien Woody. Woody started immediately, became a Pro Bowler and won two Super Bowls with the Patriots before leaving after five seasons. Seattle's acquired picks became part of a chain that produced Lamar King, Floyd Wedderburn, Karsten Bailey and James Dearth, none matching Woody's impact.
New England Patriots Received
- pick 1999 1st round pick (17th overall, Damien Woody)
Seattle Seahawks Received
- pick 1999 1st round pick (20th overall subsequently traded, Ebenezer Ekuban )
- pick 1999 3rd round pick (82nd overall, Karsten Bailey)
- pick 1999 6th round pick (191st overall subsequently traded, James Dearth)
Trade Analysis
New England paid a conventional move-up premium to secure an interior offensive lineman it valued highly. The Patriots sent Seattle the 20th pick, the 82nd pick and the 191st pick for No. 17, then selected Boston College center Damien Woody. Woody started all 16 games as a rookie and quickly became a fixture on an offensive line that would help protect Drew Bledsoe and, later, Tom Brady. He started 76 regular-season games in five Patriots seasons, made the Pro Bowl and was part of the teams that won Super Bowls XXXVI and XXXVIII.
Seattle tried to turn the move down into volume. The Seahawks received No. 20, then traded that selection to Dallas for No. 22 and a fifth-rounder. Seattle used No. 22 on defensive end Lamar King and the fifth-rounder on Floyd Wedderburn. The original New England third-round pick became wide receiver Karsten Bailey, while the sixth-rounder became James Dearth before Seattle used it in another trade. King played four seasons in Seattle but never became a major pass-rushing force. Bailey caught just a handful of NFL passes, and Wedderburn made limited impact.
The Patriots did surrender three picks for a three-slot jump, so the trade was not cost-free. Woody also left in free agency after the 2003 season rather than spending his entire career in New England. Even so, five years of high-level starting offensive-line play during the beginning of a dynasty easily exceeded Seattle's combined return. Woody's durability and championship role are exactly the kind of outcome that justifies spending extra mid-round capital to secure a targeted first-round prospect.
Seattle's process was defensible: move down slightly, add picks and preserve a first-round selection. The problem was execution after the trade. None of the players acquired through that branch became a cornerstone, while New England found one. The Patriots therefore win comfortably, though Seattle's reasonable draft strategy keeps the grade from falling to the very bottom.