The New England Patriots have decided to move on from a player they thought very highly of prior to the 2018 NFL Draft.
The Patriots traded 2018 second-round draft pick Duke Dawson to the Denver Broncos in exchange for a sixth-round pick on Friday, according to multiple reports.
Trade terms per @AdamSchefter: Patriots receive Broncos' 2020 sixth-round pick in exchange for CB Duke Dawson and a 2020 seventh-round pick.
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) August 30, 2019
Dawson, a defensive back who starred at Florida, missed most of his rookie season after the Patriots placed him on injured reserve with a hamstring injury. The former No. 56 overall pick recorded three tackles in Thursday night’s preseason game against the New York Giants.
While it’s somewhat surprising that the Patriots gave up on Dawson so quickly after drafting him in the second round, they are deep at defensive back heading into Week 1. Starting cornerbacks Stephon Gilmore and Jason McCourty are returning, as are starting safeties Devin McCourty and Patrick Chung. Chung found himself in some legal trouble recently, but he is not expected to be suspended as the case plays out.
