Bill Belichick has been labeled a genius for what he has done on the football field as a coach but his “genius” extends beyond the football. Belichick has made some savvy moves on draft weekend through the years as well and as a result, he has looked like a genius when it comes to the personnel side of things as well.
Recently, Pat Lane wrote a terrific piece on patspulpit.com breaking down the Jimmy Garoppolo trade and how Bill Belichick parlayed a second round pick for Garoppolo into multiple players.
At the time of the Garoppolo trade, many people around the league and New England alike thought the Patriots could have gotten more than a second round pick for Garoppolo. Especially because there were rumors that the Cleveland Browns had offered the Patriots a first round pick earlier in 2017. We will never know if Cleveland offered Belichick a first round pick but Belichick was steadfast at the time of the trade that the 49ers offer was the best offer the Patriots got for Garoppolo.
The trade is now a distant memory but what Belichick has done with the pick he acquired from the 49ers is simply amazing. Belichick has turned that pick into multiple picks and multiple players.
Here is a break down of the picks acquired and the players taken with those picks
Patriots traded Garoppolo to Niners for 2018 No. 43 pick.
Patriots trade No. 43 to Detroit Lions for 2018 No. 51 and No. 117 picks
Patriots trade No. 51 to Chicago Bears for 2018 No. 105 pick and 2019 No. 56 pick.
Patriots trade No. 105 to Cleveland Browns for 2018 No. 114 and No. 178 picks
Patriots trade No. 114 to Lions for 2019 No. 73 pick
Patriots draft LB Christian Sam with 2018 No. 178 pick
Patriots trade 2018 No. 62 (own pick) and No. 117 for No. 56 pick, draft CB Duke Dawson
Patriots trade 2019 No. 73 to Bears for No. 87, No. 162 and 2020 fourth-rounder
Patriots trade 2019 No. 56 and No. 101 (own pick) to the Los Angeles Rams for No. 45 pick, draft CB Joejuan Williams
Patriots draft RB Damien Harris with 2019 No. 87 pick
Patriots trade 2019 No. 97 (own pick) and No. 162 to Rams for No. 101 and No. 133, draft OT Yodny Cajuste and QB Jarrett Stidham
The picks added up to the following players and pick.
- CB Duke Dawson
- LB Christian Sam
- CB Joejuan Williams
- RB Damien Harris
- OT Yodny Cajuste
- QB Jarrett Stidham
- Bears 2020 4th round pick
Belichick turned a second round pick for Jimmy Garoppolo into six players and a fourth round pick. He added six young players who could help the Patriots continue their run of dominance and be a part of the team’s future.
The bottom line is, Belichick is playing chess while the rest of the league is playing checkers. Like one of his closest friends and confidant Jimmy Johnson, Belichick has turned the draft into a game and he seemingly dominates the game every year.
It is further proof that Belichick is truly a genius, on and off the field.