Green Bay acquired veteran running back John Stephens from…
Green Bay acquired veteran running back John Stephens from New England for the 1993 fourth-round pick, No. 99. Stephens played only five games for the Packers, rushing for 173 yards before Green Bay moved on. New England later traded the No. 99 selection to San Diego for additional draft capital. The Packers received little from a former 1,000-yard runner, while the Patriots preserved and expanded the pick's value.
Green Bay Packers Received
- player John Stephens (Milton)
New England Patriots Received
- pick 1993 fourth round pick (#99- Lewis Bush )
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
Green Bay acquired running back John Stephens from New England in March 1993 for a fourth-round selection, No. 99. Stephens had once been a 1,000-yard rusher for the Patriots. New England later moved the acquired pick to San Diego as part of another draft-day trade.
Green Bay Packers Return
The Packers were searching aggressively for backfield help, but Stephens did not recapture his earlier New England form. He played five games for Green Bay, carried 48 times for 173 yards and scored one rushing touchdown. His 3.6-yard average did little to solve the offense's ground-game concerns, and Green Bay soon pursued other options.
New England Patriots Return
The Patriots sold at a sensible point in Stephens' career and received a fourth-round asset. Rather than simply using No. 99, New England moved it to San Diego for later selections, extending the value of the original return. That flexibility was more useful than retaining a veteran back whose production had declined substantially from his peak.
Value in Hindsight
The comparison is not about Lewis Bush's later career as though New England drafted him directly; the Patriots traded the No. 99 slot before the selection. The important point is that New England preserved draft value and converted Stephens into additional capital. Green Bay, by contrast, received only five games and 173 rushing yards before moving on from the experiment.
Final Verdict
New England earns a B and Green Bay a C. The Patriots extracted useful draft leverage from a declining veteran, while the Packers received a short and disappointing stint. The cost was only a fourth-rounder, keeping the loss modest, but the value clearly favored New England.