Dallas Cowboys received 2017 6th round pick (216th overall,…
Dallas Cowboys received 2017 6th round pick (216th overall, Marquez White); 2017 7th round pick (239th overall, Noah Brown) in the 2017-04-29 exchange with New England Patriots. Noah Brown developed into a long-running NFL receiver with significant starting work and more than 2,000 career receiving yards, creating the clearest value in Dallas' two-pick return. The direct return and the football value it produced drive the hindsight judgment. Against the assets Dallas Cowboys surrendered, the result supports Dallas Cowboys Win and a B grade for Dallas Cowboys.
Dallas Cowboys Received
- pick 2017 6th round pick (216th overall, Marquez White )
- pick 2017 7th round pick (239th overall, Noah Brown )
New England Patriots Received
- pick 2017 6th round pick (211th overall, Conor McDermott )
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
On 2017-04-29, Dallas Cowboys received 2017 6th round pick (216th overall, Marquez White); 2017 7th round pick (239th overall, Noah Brown), while New England Patriots received 2017 6th round pick (211th overall, Conor McDermott). The comparison is limited to the consideration controlled directly after the transaction. Later trades involving an acquired pick or player are separate moves, so they are used only to explain provenance when necessary and are not treated as extra compensation here.
Dallas Cowboys Return
Noah Brown developed into a long-running NFL receiver with significant starting work and more than 2,000 career receiving yards, creating the clearest value in Dallas' two-pick return. The key question is how much useful football value the incoming side actually created through starts, playing time, production, roster longevity, or retained draft capital. That practical return is weighed against what Dallas Cowboys gave up, with the scale of this transaction kept in proportion.
New England Patriots Return
Conor McDermott became a useful reserve tackle and logged meaningful NFL snaps, but his overall contribution did not match Brown's longer offensive role. The same standard applies to New England Patriots. A larger number of pieces does not automatically mean a better trade; the quality and durability of the return matter more than raw asset count. That keeps the evaluation centered on realized value rather than on the appearance of the package at the moment of the deal.
Value in Hindsight
New England received No.211 Conor McDermott while Dallas received Nos.216 Marquez White and 239 Noah Brown. McDermott became a useful reserve tackle, but Brown developed into a long-lived NFL receiver with more than 2,000 receiving yards and significant starting work. Dallas owns the stronger hindsight return. The direct exchange is sufficiently documented to make a firm hindsight judgment. The grades reflect the difference between what each side received and what those assets ultimately became for the clubs, while avoiding credit for unrelated transactions that occurred later.
Final Verdict
Dallas Cowboys receives a B and New England Patriots receives a C. The verdict is Dallas Cowboys Win. This result reflects the direct package, the value each team actually realized, and the modest or substantial separation created by those outcomes.