Denver Broncos received Duke Dawson; 2020 7th round pick…
Denver Broncos received Duke Dawson; 2020 7th round pick (237th overall subsequently traded, Thakarius Keyes) in the exchange with New England Patriots. Duke Dawson appeared in 26 Denver games with four starts, and the Broncos also received a seventh-round selection that retained some downstream value. Against New England Patriots' return of 2020 6th round pick (195th overall, Justin Herron), that outcome supports a C+ grade. The transaction is judged as New England Patriots Win, with the mark based on the football value that actually followed from the deal.
Denver Broncos Received
- player Duke Dawson
- pick 2020 7th round pick (237th overall subsequently traded, Thakarius Keyes )
New England Patriots Received
- pick 2020 6th round pick (195th overall, Justin Herron )
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
Denver Broncos and New England Patriots completed this transaction on 2019-08-30. Denver Broncos received Duke Dawson; 2020 7th round pick (237th overall subsequently traded, Thakarius Keyes), while New England Patriots received 2020 6th round pick (195th overall, Justin Herron). The historical record supports the core package, so the fairest comparison is the football value each side actually realized after the exchange.
Denver Broncos Return
Duke Dawson appeared in 26 Denver games with four starts, and the Broncos also received a seventh-round selection that retained some downstream value. That outcome supports the C+ grade assigned to Denver Broncos. The mark gives credit for value traceable to this deal, including playing time, starts, meaningful role performance, or the verified downstream use of a draft choice. It stays proportional to the size of the transaction instead of treating every acquired asset as equally valuable.
New England Patriots Return
Justin Herron played 28 games with ten starts for New England and also started a playoff game, giving the Patriots the slightly stronger direct return. That outcome supports the B- grade assigned to New England Patriots. The same standard applies here: realized production and verifiable downstream use matter more than the nominal label attached to the asset. That keeps the comparison focused on what the club actually received rather than hypothetical value that never became part of the return.
Value in Hindsight
Duke Dawson appeared in 26 Denver games with four starts, and the Broncos also received a seventh-round selection that retained some downstream value. Justin Herron played 28 games with ten starts for New England and also started a playoff game, giving the Patriots the slightly stronger direct return. Taken together, those outcomes explain the grade spread. A useful veteran can outweigh a low draft choice when the pick produces little, while a draft asset can win the comparison when it becomes a productive player or creates meaningful value in a later move. The margin here is scaled to the actual difference in team return rather than the reputation of the names involved.
Final Verdict
New England Patriots Win. Denver Broncos receives a C+, while New England Patriots receives a B-. The grades reflect the documented exchange and the value that followed from it, with the final margin tied to the importance and longevity of the returns.