Detroit Lions received 2001 5th round pick (149th overall,…
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
- pick 2001 5th round pick (149th overall, Mike McMahon )
New England Patriots Received
- pick 2001 6th round pick (180th overall, Arther Love )
- pick 2001 7th round pick (216th overall, Owen Pochman )
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
On 2001-04-22, Detroit Lions received 2001 5th round pick (149th overall, Mike McMahon), while New England Patriots received 2001 6th round pick (180th overall, Arther Love) and 2001 7th round pick (216th overall, Owen Pochman). The direct compensation defines this transaction. Any later trade involving an acquired selection or player is a separate event and is not credited back to this exchange. That keeps the comparison centered on what each club controlled immediately after the deal.
Detroit Lions Return
Mike McMahon gave Detroit multiple seasons of quarterback depth and several starts, the clearest realized value in the exchange. For Detroit Lions, the useful measure is the football value actually created by the incoming side: playing time, starts, sustained roster usefulness, and retained draft value. That return is weighed against the specific assets sent away here, without borrowing value from a later move by another club.
New England Patriots Return
Arther Love and Owen Pochman did not produce comparable Patriots value from the two late-round selections. The same standard applies to New England Patriots. The question is not how many pieces changed hands, but whether the direct return became meaningful and durable for the franchise. That keeps a minor transaction proportional while still allowing a directional grade when one side clearly did more with the assets it received.
Value in Hindsight
Detroit moved to No. 149 for Mike McMahon, sending New England Nos. 180 Arther Love and 216 Owen Pochman. McMahon provided multiple seasons of Lions quarterback depth and starts, more direct team value than New England realized from the two late selections. The long-term comparison therefore turns on realized contribution and the quality of the direct asset package, not on names attached to selections after those selections moved again. Where the evidence remains close, an even result is preferable to forcing separation; where one side created a clear practical advantage, the grades reflect that difference.
Final Verdict
Detroit Lions receives a B- and New England Patriots receives a C. The verdict is Detroit Lions Win. This conclusion reflects the direct exchange, the subsequent value each club actually realized from its return, and the scale of the transaction. It does not treat later unrelated asset movement as part of the original deal.