Denver moved down from pick No. 117 in the 2002 draft and…
Denver moved down from pick No. 117 in the 2002 draft and received picks No. 131 and No. 144, which became Sam Brandon and Herb Haygood. Brandon supplied 63 games and 12 starts for the Broncos, giving Denver real roster value from the maneuver. Haygood added another controlled selection, so the combined return supports a B- grade and a narrow Denver win.
Denver Broncos Received
- pick 2002 4th round pick (131st overall, Sam Brandon )
- pick 2002 5th round pick (144th overall, Herb Haygood )
New England Patriots Received
- pick 2002 4th round pick (117th overall, Rohan Davey )
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
On 2002-04-21, Denver Broncos received 2002 4th round pick (131st overall, Sam Brandon) and 2002 5th round pick (144th overall, Herb Haygood), while New England Patriots received 2002 4th round pick (117th overall, Rohan Davey). The supported package gives both clubs a clear return to evaluate, so the outcome can be judged by the football value each franchise actually realized after the exchange.
Denver Broncos Return
Denver moved down from pick No. 117 in the 2002 draft and received picks No. 131 and No. 144, which became Sam Brandon and Herb Haygood. Brandon supplied 63 games and 12 starts for the Broncos, giving Denver real roster value from the maneuver. Haygood added another controlled selection, so the combined return supports a B- grade and a narrow Denver win. The grade reflects the practical value created for the franchise rather than the asset's label or perceived value on the day of the trade.
New England Patriots Return
New England traded picks No. 131 and No. 144 to move up to No. 117, where it selected quarterback Rohan Davey. Davey appeared in seven games for the Patriots and never started, so the move did not produce enough on-field value to match Denver's return from Sam Brandon. The Patriots' reasonable draft-upside play still merits a C- rather than a harsher grade. The same standard applies here: actual playing contribution and clearly retained draft value matter more than theoretical upside that never materialized.
Value in Hindsight
This is a straightforward realized-value comparison. New England concentrated two selections into one quarterback prospect, while Denver turned the move down into two players and received meaningful defensive snaps from Brandon. Because neither side gained a star, the result is not lopsided, but Denver clearly extracted more usable football value from the same exchange.
Final Verdict
The final call is Denver Broncos Win. Denver Broncos earns B-, and New England Patriots earns C-. Those grades reflect the supported package and the relative football value each side realized while keeping the scale of the transaction in proper context.