Detroit Lions received 2005 5th round pick (145th overall,…
Detroit Lions received 2005 5th round pick (145th overall, Dan Orlovsky) and 2005 6th round pick (206th overall, Jonathan Goddard) in the 2005-04-24 exchange with New England Patriots. Dan Orlovsky supplied years of quarterback depth and spot-start value for Detroit; Jonathan Goddard added little. 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 2005 5th round pick (145th overall, Dan Orlovsky )
- pick 2005 6th round pick (206th overall, Jonathan Goddard )
New England Patriots Received
- pick 2006 4th round pick (106th overall, Garrett Mills )
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
On 2005-04-24, Detroit Lions received 2005 5th round pick (145th overall, Dan Orlovsky) and 2005 6th round pick (206th overall, Jonathan Goddard), while New England Patriots received 2006 4th round pick (106th overall, Garrett Mills). 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
Dan Orlovsky supplied years of quarterback depth and spot-start value for Detroit; Jonathan Goddard added little. 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
Garrett Mills had limited Patriots impact, so the future fourth-round return did not match Detroit's realized quarterback value. 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 acquired Nos. 145 Dan Orlovsky and 206 Jonathan Goddard for New England's 2006 fourth-round choice, later No. 106 Garrett Mills. Orlovsky supplied years of backup and spot-start value for Detroit; Mills had limited Patriots impact. 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.