New England Patriots received 1976 seventh round pick… #2
New England Patriots received 1976 seventh round pick (selection not identified), while New Orleans Saints received Josh Ashton. New England sent Josh Ashton to New Orleans for the Saints' 1976 seventh-round choice. The exact selection has not been identified, and Ashton did not establish lasting regular-season value for New Orleans. The supported history provides enough detail to judge the exchange without overstating uncertain downstream information. New England Patriots earns a C grade, and the overall verdict is New England Patriots Win.
New England Patriots Received
- pick 1976 seventh round pick (selection not identified)
New Orleans Saints Received
- player Josh Ashton
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
On 1975-07-31, New England Patriots and New Orleans Saints completed an exchange in which New England Patriots received 1976 seventh round pick (selection not identified), while New Orleans Saints received Josh Ashton. The deal was modest in scale, but its core terms are clear enough to evaluate. The useful question is what each club actually turned the acquired player or selection into, rather than what the asset might have become in a different setting.
New England Patriots Return
New England Patriots came away with 1976 seventh round pick (selection not identified). That side receives a C. The grade reflects direct football value from the acquired asset, including regular-season contribution, starting work, or identifiable draft value where applicable. A smaller return can still be useful, but the score stays proportional to the size of the exchange and the length of the benefit.
New Orleans Saints Return
New Orleans Saints received Josh Ashton, which earns a D+. The same standard applies here. Immediate playing time counts, durable production counts more, and a selection that never produces meaningful NFL value receives limited credit. The comparison does not award extra value for possibilities that the historical record does not firmly establish.
Value in Hindsight
New England sent Josh Ashton to New Orleans for the Saints' 1976 seventh-round choice. The exact selection has not been identified, and Ashton did not establish lasting regular-season value for New Orleans. That supported outcome gives the clearest hindsight measure of the transaction. Minor date or pick-identity uncertainty remains visible when necessary, but it does not erase an exchange whose base terms are supported. The evaluation therefore follows the value that can be tied directly to what each club received.
Final Verdict
The final judgment is New England Patriots Win, reflecting the stronger supported return in hindsight. New England Patriots receives C, while New Orleans Saints receives D+. The grades are intentionally scaled to the deal: a useful role or late-round return can win an exchange without being treated like a franchise-changing haul. The final call rests on realized football value and the strongest supported description of the package.