In yet another masterful draft move by the crafty coach and the New England Patriots front office, the team traded its first-round pick for four -- gaining a second, third, fourth and seventh-round selection from the Minnesota Vikings Thursday night.
While the trade-down isn't surprising, the return is remarkable. The move turns the team's five picks into eight, and it creates a solid opportunity for the Pats to snatch some of the middle-of-the-road talent that this draft is flooded with.
On their radar will certainly be a wide receiver, a defensive lineman, an offensive lineman and probably a body in the defensive secondary.
Though the team didn't actually make a pick, the league went forward with its tribute to the city of Boston following the events at the Boston Marathon. Former Patriot Joe Andruzzi added some poignant words to go along with the prepared montage of rescue workers and survivors of the bombings, which occurred less than two weeks ago.
New England's acquired picks are Nos. 52, 83, 102 and 229. Minnesota used the trade to draft Tennessee wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson.
