Where are they now? Tracking the picks used in the Bill Belichick trade
By Alex Barth, 985TheSportsHub.com
While Bill Belichick’s exit from the New York Jets is ingrained in NFL lore (‘I resign as HC of the NYJ’), his actual hiring by the New England Patriots seems to get less attention.
Monday marks the 20th anniversary of the trade that sent Belichick from the Jets to the Patriots, and in that spirit, the Patriots shared the letter between Bill Parcells and Robert Kraft detailing the agreement. The letter outlines the five draft picks that were involved in the exchange, with the Jets receiving the Patriots 16th overall pick in the 2000 NFL Draft, along with a fourth and seventh in 2001. In return, the Patriots got Belichick, a fifth-round pick in 2001, and a seventh-round pick in 2002.
Everybody knows the trade was the ultimate success for both the Patriots and Belichick, but what happened to the players selected with the picks that were involved? Time to take a deeper dive into arguably the most lopsided trade in NFL history, pick by pick.
Picks Traded From Patriots To Jets
2000 first round pick (16th overall): Trade
This pick was traded (along with a second rounder, 48th overall) to San Francisco for the 12th overall pick. The 49ers used the first pick to select 5-time Pro Bowl linebacker Julian Peterson. The second rounder became cornerback Jason Webster, who played 9 NFL seasons. He would end up playing three games for the Patriots in his final season in 2008.
2000 first-round pick (12th overall): DE Shaun Ellis
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – NOVEMBER 23: Defensive end Shaun Ellis #92 of the New York Jets lines up to rush the quarterback during the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars on November 23, 2003 at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Jets defeated the Jaguars 13-10. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
The Jets had four first-round picks heading into the 2000 Draft, the one they received from the Patriots being the highest. They used it to move up and take defensive end Shaun Ellis out of Tennessee.
In his second year in the league, Ellis was involved in perhaps the most notable play from the Patriots-Jets rivalry. Late in the fourth quarter of the Week 2 game between the two teams, Ellis had a grasp on Drew Bledsoe’s back as he scrambled up the sideline, setting Bledsoe up for a hit by linebacker Mo Lewis. The hit resulted in Bledsoe missing the remainder of the regular season and Tom Brady taking over as the Patriots starting quarterback.
Ellis would go on to play 11 seasons for the Jets, recording 72.5 sacks and making a pair of Pro Bowls. He signed with the Patriots before the 2011 season. Ellis played just one year in New England, which included his only Super Bowl appearance in the Patriots’ loss in Super Bowl XLVI.
2001 fourth round pick (101st overall): CB Jamie Henderson
Henderson played 32 games for the Jets over three seasons, recording one interception. Tragically, his career was cut short due to injuries he suffered in a motorcycle accident prior to the 2004 season.
2001 seventh round pick (206th overall): DT James Reed
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – DECEMBER 26: Tom Brady #12 of the New England Patriots tries to throw a pass as he is sacked by James Reed #93 of the New York Jets during the game on December 26, 2005 at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
Reed went on to play five years for the Jets. In that time, he recorded six sacks, and never missed a game. He played two more years for the Kansas City Chiefs, before retiring in 2008 due to an Achilles injury.
Picks Traded From Jets To Patriots
2001 fifth round pick (149th overall): Trade
This pick was traded to the Detroit Lions for sixth and seventh round picks. The Lions used the pick to take quarterback Mike McMahon. McMahon started 14 games over five NFL seasons split between the Lions and the Philadelphia Eagles. After being cut by the Minnesota Vikings out of camp in 2006, he went on to play in the CFL, UFL, and the Swedish Superserien league, where a knee injury two snaps into his debut ended his playing career in 2013.
2001 sixth round pick (180 overall): TE Arther Love
The South Carolina State product spent his entire rookie season on PUP, then the next season on the Patriots practice squad. He went to camp with the Denver Broncos in 2003, but failed to make the team, meaning he never played a regular season snap in the NFL.
2001 seventh round pick (216 overall): K Owen Pochman
TEMPE, AZ – OCTOBER 26: Kicker Owen Pochman #11 of the San Francisco 49ers walks off the field after he missed on a field goal attempt to take the lead late in the fourth quarter against the Arizona Cardinals October 26, 2003 at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona. Arizona won 17-13 in overtime. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)
Pochman failed to break camp with the Patriots in 2001, but was signed by the New York Giants before the start of the season. He played in only two games that year, the first and the last, as both a long distance specialist and punter. The BYU product came back to the NFL in 2003 to play six games with the Niners. He since has written a book titled I’m Just a Kicker and dated Baywatch star Brande Roderick. He currently is working as a realtor in Los Angeles.
2002 seventh round pick (234 overall): Trade
The Patriots used this pick as part of a package in order to move up 11 spots in the first round. In addition, the Pats sent their first-round pick that year (32nd overall) as well as a third (96th overall) to the Washington Redskins for the 21st overall pick in the draft.
Washington took quarterback Patrick Ramsey with the first rounder. The Tulane product posted a 10-14 record over the four seasons he spent in-and-out of the starting job in Washington. He followed that up with backup stints for the Jets and Broncos and was out of the league after 2008. The third-round pick was in turn traded to Denver as part of a package that helped Washington pick up an extra second-round pick. The seventh-round pick was used on defensive end Greg Scott, who played in just four NFL games before spending a couple of seasons in the Arena League.
2002 first round pick (21st overall): TE Daniel Graham
New England Patriots tight end Daniel Graham grabs a touchdown pass in an NFL wild card playoff game Jan. 7, 2007 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. The Pats won 37 – 16. (Photo by Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images)
The Patriots used the first-round pick they received from that package deal to draft Colorado’s Daniel Graham. Graham played five seasons in New England, winning back-to-back Super Bowls in 2003 and 2004. He is currently top-10 in franchise history for receptions and touchdowns by a tight end. Graham played six more NFL seasons after leaving the Patriots.
Alex Barth is a writer and digital producer for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Thoughts? Comments? Questions? Hate mail? Let him hear it on Twitter @RealAlexBarth
