Another year, another draft-pick trade involving the New England Patriots. The team announced on Monday that it has acquired the Nos. 183 and 245 picks from the Houston Texans in exchange for the No. 170 pick. That's a sixth- and seventh-rounder in exchange for a fifth.
As detailed by ESPN.com earlier this week, the Patriots have made more draft-day trades than any team in the league since Bill Belichick took over, averaging around 3.77 draft trades per year. They've already exceeded that total this season.
The Pats had previously swapped a third-round pick for wide receiver DeVante Parker and a fifth-round pick from the Miami Dolphins, received a fifth-round pick from the Buccaneers in exchange for guard Shaq Mason, traded a fifth-rounder in this year's draft to the Las Vegas Raiders for Trent Brown last offseason, received a 2022 sixth-round pick and 2023 fourth-round selection from the Rams in exchange for Sony Michel near the end of training camp last year, and sent a seventh-round pick to the Chiefs for offensive lineman Yasir Durant last September.
The Patriots dealing away a fifth-rounder in this deal is particularly notable because they have recently tended to use those selections on specialists. They could be in the market for a kicker this year after having used a fifth-rounder on Justin Rohrwasser in 2020, but waiving him in favor of Nick Folk last offseason. The Pats still have a fifth-round pick remaining even after this trade.
As for the Texans, they did not have a fifth-round pick prior to this deal, but they did have three sixth-round picks and a seventh-rounder. Instead, they have a fifth and two sixths.