New England acquired Delles Howell from the Jets for a draft…
New England acquired Delles Howell from the Jets for a draft choice whose exact selection has not been identified. Howell did not produce a regular-season return for the Patriots and was released before the 1976 season began. Because the Jets' downstream selection also remains unresolved, New England has no documented advantage large enough to justify a winning grade.
New England Patriots Received
- player Delles Howell
New York Jets Received
- pick draft pick (selection not identified)
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
On 1976-07-31, New England Patriots received Delles Howell, while New York Jets received draft pick (selection not identified). The exchange is judged by the football value each club actually realized from the assets it controlled after the transaction. Later movement of a draft choice is considered only when the cited record connects that movement to the original return.
New England Patriots Return
New England acquired Delles Howell from the Jets for a draft choice whose exact selection has not been identified. Howell did not produce a regular-season return for the Patriots and was released before the 1976 season began. Because the Jets' downstream selection also remains unresolved, New England has no documented advantage large enough to justify a winning grade.
New York Jets Return
The Jets sent Delles Howell to New England and received a draft choice whose exact selection has not been identified. Howell failed to make the Patriots' regular-season roster, but the available record also does not establish meaningful value created by the Jets from their draft return. With little documented production on either side, an even result is the most defensible outcome.
Value in Hindsight
The exact Jets draft selection is unresolved, but that does not erase the documented fact that New York received a draft choice. Howell's failure to make New England's regular-season roster means the Patriots cannot point to meaningful realized value. At the same time, there is no supported downstream result showing that the Jets converted their return into a significant player or retained asset. The safest football conclusion is therefore a low-separation even trade, reflecting the limited documented payoff on both sides rather than treating an unidentified selection as no consideration.
Final Verdict
The final call is Even Trade. New England Patriots earns C, and New York Jets earns C. Those grades reflect the supported package, the documented post-trade production, and the relative football value each side ultimately realized from this exchange.