The Jets traded Jon McGraw to Detroit on August 10, 2005 for…
The Jets traded Jon McGraw to Detroit on August 10, 2005 for the conditional return that became Detroit’s 2007 seventh-round pick, No. 212. McGraw gave the Lions 24 games, five starts and 65 combined tackles across 2005-06. New York later sent No. 212 to Dallas for tight end Sean Ryan, who played 26 games with four starts for the Jets. Both sides converted modest assets into useful depth.
Detroit Lions Received
- player Jon McGraw
New York Jets Received
- pick 2007 seventh-round pick (#212 overall; later traded to Dallas for Sean Ryan )
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
The trade occurred on August 10, 2005, when the Jets sent safety Jon McGraw to Detroit for a conditional draft pick. Draft-pick transaction records identify the conditionally conveyed asset as Detroit’s 2007 seventh-round selection, No. 212. The Jets later traded that exact choice to Dallas for tight end Sean Ryan, so Courtney Brown, whom Dallas eventually drafted at No. 212, must not be credited to New York.
Detroit Lions Return
Detroit received McGraw and got two seasons of useful safety and special-teams depth. NFL records show eight games with two starts and 21 combined tackles in 2005, followed by 16 games, three starts and 44 combined tackles in 2006. Across his Lions tenure, that is 24 games, five starts and 65 combined tackles. He left for Kansas City after 2006, but Detroit received meaningful short-term service from the player it acquired.
New York Jets Return
New York received No. 212 in the 2007 draft but moved it before making a selection. On August 31, 2006, the Jets traded that pick to Dallas for Sean Ryan. Ryan then played 16 games with three starts for New York in 2006 and 10 games with one start in 2007, catching nine passes for 90 yards across the two seasons. The Jets therefore converted the McGraw pick into 26 games and four starts of tight-end depth.
Value in Hindsight
Both teams received real but limited service. Detroit got more defensive production and five starts from McGraw; New York turned the pick into Ryan and received 26 games with four starts. Neither asset became a long-term core player, and neither side squandered significant draft capital.
Final Verdict
This is an even trade at B-/B-. The August 10 date and the No. 212-to-Sean Ryan chain reveal comparable depth value on both sides rather than an unresolved generic-pick exchange.