Bill Belichick revisits the Cordarrelle Patterson trade, was it a mistake?
Drafted just last year, Patterson would not be a Viking at all if it weren't for Bill Belichick.
With the Patriots sitting at pick no. 29, the Vikings gave up an arm and a leg to move up and snag the dynamic wideout/kick returner. For what it's worth, Belichick doesn't seem to regret the deal much.
NFL.com:
"We made the decision based on what we felt was best for our team," Belichick said, via The Star Tribune. "That's what we always do. We felt like at that time it would be the best thing for our team, and that's what we did."
Very insightful.
Should he regret it though?
It's still a bit early to make a judgement on that, but Patriots fans should not be fretting the trade too much. Even if they see Patterson tearing up their defense this Sunday.
To recap, the Vikings received the 29th overall pick (Patterson) and the Patriots got a second, third, fourth and seventh round pick.
Out of that bunch, the Patriots drafted two players who are major contributors today - Jamie Collins (2nd) and Logan Ryan (3rd). They also got two players who no longer contribute to the team - Josh Boyce (4th) and LeGarrette Blount (traded 7th).
Patterson is a flashier name, but there is no guarantee that he would have gotten as much of an opportunity in a Patriots system where young receivers tend to struggle. Regardless, the impact that Collins has on the Pats can't be understated. Though he's coming off a weak season premiere, he almost single-handedly dominated the Colts' offense in the divisional round last year, and was one of the most impressive defenders on the field - for either side - in the AFC Championship game. Batting passes and staying step for step with tight ends may not widen the eyes like a 100+ yard rushing touchdown, but it is just as important to the overall success of a team.
The Patriots didn't just get Collins though, they also got the very capable Logan Ryan - who led the team with 5 interceptions and was tied for third most in the league.
Would Belichick have even taken Patterson at no. 29?
"I don't know. We didn't hold onto it," Belichick said. "There were a lot of good players at that point. We feel we got one with the player we picked plus the other selections we received in moving back."
There's plenty of potential in the prospects on both sides of that trade. If you could do it again, would you pull the trigger on the deal?
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