Here’s What It’s Like to Trade With Bill Belichick

Ex-Bucs general manager Mark Dominik reveals what dealing with Belichick is like

Head coach Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
Head coach Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
Getty Images

Editor’s Note: RealClearLife, a news and lifestyle publisher, is now a part of InsideHook. Together, we’ll be covering current events, pop culture, sports, travel, health and the world.

In addition to being a man of many hoodies, New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick is a man of habit.

One of those habits, as past history indicates, is trading during the NFL draft.

In 19 previous drafts with the Patriots, Belichick has pulled off 70 draft trades, and the only year he didn’t execute a draft-day deal was 2004.

A man who has been on the other end of some of those trades, ex-Bucs general manager Mark Dominik, revealed what it was like to make a deal with Bill during an appearance on a SiriusXM NFL media call.

“Bill’s very cut-to-the-chase, as you can imagine,” Dominik said. “I’ve done three or four trades with Bill, and everything is just like, ‘Get to the point, let’s go. Are you in? Do you want to do this or not?’ He’s not going to sit around and wait. I actually loved that. He got right to the point.”

If the Pats pull off a trade this year, some have speculated it might be for a player who was drafted last season by the Arizona Cardinals, quarterback Josh Rosen.

The Cardinals have the first-overall pick this year and there’s been much speculation they will draft Oklahoma’s Kyler Murray which would then free them up to deal Rosen — who is owed just $6 million over the next three years — for more draft picks.

Based on what he knows about Belichick, Dominik doesn’t think the Patriots will be trading their first selection (No. 32 overall) for the second-year QB.

“Knowing how the Patriots work, I don’t think they would do that,” he told The Boston Globe. “My gut instinct is that that’s not a direction they would want to go, even though financially it would be great. There’s just I think too many questions, and I think [Belichick] would rather handpick another guy.”

The Patriots have 12 selections overall this year, tied with the Giants for the most picks in the draft.

The InsideHook Newsletter.

News, advice and insights for the most interesting person in the room.