Minnesota traded four selections to New England for pick No.…
Minnesota traded four selections to New England for pick No. 29 and selected Cordarrelle Patterson. Patterson became an elite return specialist immediately and earned multiple All-Pro honors, but he never developed into a consistent featured receiver during four Vikings seasons. New England used the premium picks on Jamie Collins and Logan Ryan, both major defensive contributors to championship teams, plus Josh Boyce and another late selection. The Patriots converted quantity into higher overall value.
Minnesota Vikings Received
- pick 2013 1st round pick (29th overall, Cordarrelle Patterson)
New England Patriots Received
- pick 2013 2nd round pick (52nd overall, Jamie Collins ), 2013 3rd round pick (83rd overall, Logan Ryan), 2013 4th round pick (102nd overall, Josh Boyce ) and 2013 7th round pick (229th overall subsequently traded, Everett Dawkins )
Trade Analysis
Minnesota's gamble on Cordarrelle Patterson delivered an unusual kind of success. Patterson never became the polished No. 1 receiver the Vikings hoped to develop, but he was an immediate game-changing returner. As a rookie he earned first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors, scored on a 109-yard kickoff return and added touchdowns as a receiver and runner. He remained one of the league's most dangerous kickoff returners through his four Minnesota seasons and earned another All-Pro nod for his special-teams work.
That value matters because it keeps the Vikings' side from being judged solely by receiving totals. Patterson was a genuine field-position weapon and one of the best return specialists of his generation. Still, Minnesota paid four selections to get back into the first round, and the Patriots converted the two premium picks into important defenders.
New England selected linebacker Jamie Collins at No. 52 and cornerback Logan Ryan at No. 83. Collins quickly became an athletic centerpiece, earning Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro recognition while contributing to the Super Bowl XLIX team. Ryan started 40 games over four New England seasons and was a regular in the secondary for two Super Bowl championship runs. Josh Boyce, selected at No. 102, contributed little, and the seventh-round piece did not materially alter the result.
The contrast is between one elite specialist with limited offensive consistency and two young defensive starters who filled premium roles on championship teams. Minnesota deserves a B because Patterson's return ability was legitimately exceptional and produced multiple All-Pro seasons. New England earns an A+ because Collins and Ryan together supplied years of inexpensive starting defense and postseason impact. The Patriots' volume strategy clearly created more total football value.