The Jets received Jonathan Pittman in the April 2002 swap but…
The Jets received Jonathan Pittman in the April 2002 swap but did not carry him into the regular season. Because Pittman failed to provide game value for New York, the club gained no lasting advantage from moving David Leaverton. The deal was small and neither acquired player stuck, so the Jets receive a C- rather than a harsher grade.
New York Jets Received
- player Jonathan Pittman
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Received
- player David Leaverton
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
The Jets and Buccaneers completed a straight player swap on April 23, 2002, sending Jonathan Pittman to New York and David Leaverton to Tampa Bay. This transaction is best judged by what happened immediately afterward, not by unrelated portions of either player's career. Neither acquired player survived final roster reduction with his new team, leaving both clubs without regular-season production from the exchange.
New York Jets Return
New York received Pittman but did not turn the acquisition into game value. He failed to remain with the Jets into the regular season, so the club did not gain a contributor in exchange for Leaverton. That is a poor outcome in isolation, although the cost was also limited because the player the Jets surrendered did not become a regular-season contributor for Tampa Bay either.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Return
The Buccaneers acquired Leaverton to compete at punter, but he likewise did not make it through final roster reduction. Tampa Bay therefore received no regular-season contribution from its acquired player. The outcome mirrors New York's side closely: a player was acquired for depth or competition, but the move did not produce a roster piece once the season began.
Value in Hindsight
There is no meaningful basis for declaring a winner. Both teams exchanged players who failed to stick with their new clubs, and neither side realized regular-season football value directly from the trade. Later career events should not be imported into the judgment because they did not arise from service to the acquiring team. Matching low grades reflect the failed roster outcomes on both sides.
Final Verdict
Even Trade. The New York Jets and Tampa Bay Buccaneers each receive a C-. Neither acquired player survived to provide regular-season production, so the transaction produced equally limited value for both teams.