New England acquired tight end Alex Smith for a 2010…
New England acquired tight end Alex Smith for a 2010 fifth-round pick, but Smith was released at final cuts and never played a regular-season game for the Patriots. Tampa Bay's pick became No. 153; the Buccaneers packaged it with No. 42 to move to No. 39 for Arrelious Benn. Benn started 24 games and caught 59 passes for 862 yards and five touchdowns for Tampa Bay, giving the Buccaneers the clear edge.
New England Patriots Received
- player Alex Smith
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Received
- pick 2010 5th round pick (153rd overall subsequently traded, Austen Lane )
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
On April 30, 2009, New England acquired tight end Alex Smith from Tampa Bay for an undisclosed 2010 draft choice. The later draft ledger identifies the compensation as fifth-round pick No. 153. That identification matters because it allows the Buccaneers' downstream use of the asset to be traced without pretending they drafted the player ultimately selected at No. 153.
New England Patriots Return
New England received no regular-season value from Smith. The Patriots released him on September 5, 2009, during the final cut to 53 players. He therefore never appeared in a regular-season game for New England. Whatever preseason depth or competition he provided, the football return from the traded asset was effectively zero. That supports a D grade because New England received no regular-season production from the acquired player.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Return
Tampa Bay used No. 153 as trade-up currency. During the 2010 draft, the Buccaneers paired that fifth-rounder with No. 42 to move to No. 39 and select receiver Arrelious Benn. The fifth-round pick should not receive sole credit for Benn because No. 42 was the larger part of the package, but it materially enabled the move. Benn subsequently played 37 games with 24 starts for Tampa Bay, catching 59 passes for 862 yards and five touchdowns.
Value in Hindsight
The distinction is sharp. New England's player did not make the regular-season roster. Tampa Bay converted the pick into part of a trade-up that produced multiple seasons of starting receiver snaps. The provenance chain remains conservative by crediting No. 153 as one component of the Benn acquisition rather than treating Benn as a direct one-for-one outcome.
Final Verdict
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Win. Tampa Bay receives B for extracting meaningful trade-up value from No. 153, while New England receives D because Smith never played a regular-season game for the Patriots.