Oakland acquired veteran tackle Pat Harlow from New England…
Oakland acquired veteran tackle Pat Harlow from New England for the 57th pick in the 1996 draft. Harlow gave the Raiders three seasons of useful starting work, including 30 starts, so the deal addressed a real need. New England then traded No. 57 back to Oakland for picks 76, 124 and 149, and the resulting chain helped produce Tedy Bruschi. Harlow was a solid acquisition, but the Patriots multiplied the asset and created greater long-term value.
Las Vegas Raiders Received
- player Pat Harlow
New England Patriots Received
- pick 1996 2nd round pick (57th overall subsequently traded, Lance Johnstone )
Trade Analysis
Oakland was not wrong to want Pat Harlow. The Raiders needed offensive-line help, and Harlow was an established NFL tackle with extensive starting experience in New England. After the April 1996 trade, he started 30 games for Oakland over three seasons. That is credible value for a second-round pick, particularly for a team trying to stabilize a premium position. His contribution is why the Raiders deserve a positive grade rather than being judged solely by what New England later did with the selection.
The Patriots’ asset management was better. New England received the 57th pick for Harlow and, three days later, traded that same selection back to Oakland for picks 76, 124 and 149. The Raiders used No. 57 on Lance Johnstone. New England used No. 124 on Kantroy Barber and No. 149 on Christian Peter, while No. 76 became another trade chip. The Patriots sent No. 76 to Detroit and received picks 86, 119 and 195. No. 86 became Tedy Bruschi, who developed into a franchise-defining linebacker and later won three Super Bowls in New England.
That downstream path should not erase Harlow’s legitimate Oakland tenure. The Raiders bought a known starter and received several years of exactly that. But New England turned one veteran into a sequence of draft assets, one of which eventually became a foundational player.
The Patriots therefore win on total realized value and asset multiplication. Oakland solved an immediate problem and did reasonably well; New England created more long-term roster value from the same transaction. The contrast between short-term certainty and compounded draft capital makes this a clear Patriots win without making the Raiders’ side a failure.