Detroit Lions sent quarterback Kevin O'Connell to the Jets…
Detroit Lions sent quarterback Kevin O'Connell to the Jets and received the 2011 seventh-round slot at No. 231. Detroit later used that draft asset as part of the Shaun Hill transaction, giving the club some practical leverage from a player it no longer needed. That modest but usable return earns a B- and gives Detroit the edge.
Detroit Lions Received
- pick 2011 7th round pick (231st overall subsequently traded, Frank Kearse )
New York Jets Received
- player Kevin O'Connell
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
The Jets acquired quarterback Kevin O'Connell from Detroit in September 2009 and sent a future seventh-round selection in return. The compensation eventually became the 2011 pick at No. 231. Detroit later used that slot as transaction currency rather than making the selection itself, while O'Connell remained a depth quarterback for New York without producing meaningful regular-season passing results.
Detroit Lions Return
Detroit's return was small but functional. A seventh-round pick carries limited expected value, yet it is still a tradeable asset, and the Lions later used the selection in the Shaun Hill transaction. The important point is not to credit Detroit with Hill's entire career as if it came solely from O'Connell. The pick was one piece of later roster maneuvering, and that ability to reuse the asset is enough to show that Detroit extracted something tangible from the deal.
New York Jets Return
New York's side was inexpensive, but it also produced very little. O'Connell gave the Jets another quarterback option and organizational depth, yet he did not become a regular-season contributor under center. For a seventh-round cost, that is not disastrous, but it is still a poor realized return. The D+ grade reflects a low-cost miss rather than a damaging transaction.
Value in Hindsight
This is the kind of minor trade where the winner can be clear without the value gap being large in absolute terms. Detroit turned an expendable player into a future asset that retained practical use. New York spent a late pick on depth that never became meaningful on-field production. The difference is modest, but it consistently favors Detroit.
Final Verdict
Detroit Lions Win. Detroit earns a B- for recovering and later using a real draft asset. The Jets receive a D+ because O'Connell did not provide enough football value to match even that limited return.