New England acquired center Jim Romano from Houston in August…
New England acquired center Jim Romano from Houston in August 1987 for a conditional 1988 draft choice. The Patriots' 1988 media guide establishes that Romano never played a game for New England, so no draft choice was transferred. Romano went to injured reserve and was waived off IR in December. Neither side received regular-season football value, supporting C/C and Even Trade.
New England Patriots Received
- player Jim Romano
Tennessee Titans Received
- pick conditional 1988 draft choice (not conveyed because Romano played no games for New England)
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
New England acquired veteran center Jim Romano from the Houston Oilers in August 1987 for a conditional 1988 draft choice. New England's official 1988 media guide provides the condition and outcome: Romano never played a game for the Patriots, so the choice was not transferred. The transaction therefore ended without a conveyed pick.
New England Patriots Return
The Patriots received Romano after he had been a starting-caliber interior lineman in Houston, but they received no regular-season production from him. New England's media guide lists Romano on injured reserve with a hamstring injury beginning September 1 and says he was waived off injured reserve on December 23. Because he never appeared in a Patriots game, New England realized no on-field value from the acquisition. A C grade reflects the attempt to add veteran line depth without pretending it produced results.
Houston Oilers Return
Houston's return was conditional draft compensation, not a pick that can be traced to an eventual draftee. The Patriots' own transaction record says the condition failed because Romano never played any games. The correct asset is therefore a conditional 1988 draft choice that did not convey. Houston receives a C as well: it moved a player who never played for New England, but it also received no draft capital.
Value in Hindsight
The condition terminated the compensation before a pick changed hands, while Romano's injury prevented New England from obtaining regular-season value. That leaves a clean zero-value comparison on the field: Houston received no draft selection and New England received no regular-season games from Romano.
Final Verdict
Even Trade, with New England and Houston both at C. Romano did not play a regular-season game for the Patriots, and the conditional 1988 draft choice therefore did not transfer to the Oilers. Neither side realized regular-season football value from the exchange.