When it comes to the draft, coach Bill Belichick and the Patriots have been futures traders. Like Dillon, nose tackle Vince Wilfork, wide receiver Randy Moss, and linebacker Jerod Mayo, the reigning NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, were acquired from deals in which the Patriots flipped picks forward into future years. With a surplus of picks this season - the Patriots own 11, including three in the second round - it's a safe bet that Belichick, who touted his team's flexibility, could swap a selection or two for future picks in hopes of cashing them in at a later date.
An analysis of information provided by the NFL on draft-day deals since 2000, Belichick's first year with the Patriots, shows that 41 trades have been made in which a team got a future pick in return. During that span, no team has done it more than the Patriots, who made 11. The Eagles were next with eight.
"I've always admired how the Patriots have orchestrated the draft and turned their selections into productive players," said an NFC general manager, speaking on the condition of anonymity. "It says a lot about the system and Coach Belichick and their scouting department. What I like about the way they approach it is they seem to be in a position of always working toward multiple picks. That certainly gives them an opportunity to hit on more players in a game that's risky when it comes to draft choices."
One of the four extra selections the Patriots have this season in the seven-round draft is an example of how Belichick has been able to work the draft board. In 2007, the Patriots, with a roster that authored the NFL's first 16-0 regular season, traded a third-round pick (No. 91 overall) to the Raiders for a 2008 third-rounder and a 2007 seventh-rounder.
Last season, the Patriots traded that third-round pick (No. 69) to the Chargers for a 2009 second-round pick, which is now No. 47 overall.
By waiting two years, New England moved up 44 slots.
