Patriots YR 2009: The Mattews Trade

[PRBuzz]

One of the big topics of discussion this week will and has been the 2009 draft-day trade between the Patriots and the Packers.

The Patriots originally started the day with the 23rd pick in the draft but traded down to 26 with the Ravens.

The Packers general manager Ted Thompson, for just the second time in his career, traded up (first time ever back into the first round) with the Patriots and selected USC LB Clay Matthews.

Matthews was third in defensive rookie of the year voting last season and went to the Pro Bowl. He was one of the favorites for NFL Defensive Player of the Year this season before injuries (hamstring, shin) have hobbled him.

We'll get into whether or not the Patriots made the wise move later. But for now here's a look at what they did instead of Matthews (thanks to the hard work of senior assistant sports editor Gregory Lee):

26. Patriots (Trade down to Packers)
Packers receive:

2009 first round pick, 26, pick LB Clay Matthews III
2009 fifth round pick, 162, pick tackle Jamon Meredith (later released by Packers)
Patriots get:
2009 second round pick, 41, pick DB Darius Butler
2009 third round pick, 73, pick DB Derek Cox
2009 third round pick, 83, pick WR Brandon Tate
Patriots trade Cox to Jaguars.

Patriots get:

2009 seventh round pick, 232, pick WR Julian Edelman
2010 second round, 44, traded that pick to the Raiders for 42 to pick TE Rob Gronkowski
(Raiders get second-round pick, 44, DT Lamarr Houston; sixth-round pick, 190 pick LB Travis Goethel)

So, basically, you could have either Clay Matthews, or Darius Butler, Brandon Tate, Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski. (Though the Patriots probably still could have made the Gronkowski trade among other moves).

Knowing what you know now, good move, bad move, even? What do you think?

Was trading down in the 2009 draft a good idea?