Atlanta acquired safety Jordan Richards from New England for…
Atlanta acquired safety Jordan Richards from New England for a 2020 seventh-round pick. Atlanta acquired safety Jordan Richards and immediately received meaningful short-term usage. Richards appeared in fifteen games and started twelve for the Falcons in 2018, giving the club a substantial amount of playable depth from a modest acquisition. For a seventh-round-equivalent cost, that single season of starts was a useful return. In hindsight, that result supports a B- grade for Atlanta Falcons in a deal ultimately judged as Atlanta Falcons Win.
Atlanta Falcons Received
- player Jordan Richards
New England Patriots Received
- pick 2020 7th round pick (230th overall, Dustin Woodard )
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
Atlanta acquired Jordan Richards from New England on August 31, 2018, while New England received a 2020 seventh-round pick that became No. 230 Dustin Woodard. The transaction was modest in scale, so the fairest comparison is the football value each side actually received rather than the perceived value of the assets on the trade date. Team transaction histories and the downstream draft record support the core exchange, leaving the outcome to be judged on production and longevity.
Atlanta Falcons Return
Atlanta acquired safety Jordan Richards and immediately received meaningful short-term usage. Richards appeared in fifteen games and started twelve for the Falcons in 2018, giving the club a substantial amount of playable depth from a modest acquisition. For a seventh-round-equivalent cost, that single season of starts was a useful return. That body of work supports a B- grade for Atlanta Falcons. The grade reflects the actual contribution tied to this exchange, not the player's broader reputation or the nominal value of the original asset.
New England Patriots Return
New England received the 2020 seventh-round pick at No. 230 and used it on Dustin Woodard. Woodard retired before his rookie season and never appeared for the Patriots, leaving New England without regular-season production from the return. The draft asset was legitimate, but its eventual football value was essentially zero. That body of work supports a D grade for New England Patriots. The result is measured against what the other side realized from the same transaction, with the size of the original deal keeping the grades proportional.
Value in Hindsight
This is a hindsight result built on realized value. Neither side should be credited simply for acquiring a recognizable name or a draft choice; the important question is what that asset became for the club that received it. In this case, Atlanta Falcons and New England Patriots produced different levels of usable football value, and that separation is enough to choose a winner without overstating a relatively small trade.
Final Verdict
Atlanta Falcons Win. Atlanta Falcons receives a B-, while New England Patriots receives a D. The winning side generated the stronger direct return from the documented exchange, while the other side still receives credit for whatever useful value it actually obtained. The margin is reflected in the grades rather than treated as a franchise-changing result.