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3 worst trades in New England Patriots franchise history

By Mike Luciano

Aug 12, 2021; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick watches a game against the Washington Football Team during the first half at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 12, 2021; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick watches a game against the Washington Football Team during the first half at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mike Haynes, Patriots
LOS ANGELES, CA – SEPTEMBER 4: Mike Haynes #22 of the Los Angeles Raiders (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) /

The New England Patriots might have six Super Bowls to their name, but they also must own some noteworthy flubs in the trade market.

In both the Bill Belichick/Tom Brady dynasty and some of the more disappointing years under Billy Sullivan Jr. and Victor Kiam, New England has produced some serious duds.

The Patriots have had a few Hall of Famers dropped right into their laps, only to part with them in the middle of the season or on NFL Draft night for a collection of picks that never produced a player as talented.

Likewise, the desire to improve during the regular season while chasing a championship has led to some ill-fated moves, especially right before the trade deadline when upgrades are even more scarce.

These 3 trades will go down in infamy in Patriots history. When the likes of Chad Ochocinco and Albert Haynesworth aren’t on this list, that should tell you how inept this team used to be.

3 worst trades in New England Patriots history.

3. Mike Haynes

While Haynes split his 14-year career equally between the Patriots and then-Los Angeles Raiders, he had more games played, interceptions, and Pro Bowl appearances in New England. Despite those accolades, many remember Haynes as a Raider due to one lopsided trade.

Haynes was holding out in search of a bigger contract (shades of Stephon Gilmore, don’t you think?) and earned a trade back to his native Los Angeles. The Patriots earned a first and third-round draft choice, but they missed out on keeping one of the best cornerbacks to ever play this game.

The Patriots should have kept Hall of Fame DB Mike Haynes.

The only reason that this trade wasn’t a complete loss, or higher on this list, was the fact that the choices New England acquired helped them move up to the No. 1 overall pick in the 1984 Draft and select wide receiver Irving Fryar. While Fryar’s best statistical years came in Miami, he had nine very productive seasons in New England.

Still, trading away a future Hall of Famer cornerback in his prime is probably a worse deal for the Patriots. Not only did Haynes get his payday with the Raiders, but he formed arguably the best cornerback tandem ever with Lester Hayes, which directly correlated to a Raiders Super Bowl victory. Not a bad bit of business for Al Davis.

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