Latest On Patriots’ Forfeited Fourth-Rounder

Under the terms of their Deflategate punishment, the Patriots are required to forfeit their earliest fourth-round draft choice, leading us at PFR to wonder (Twitter link) if New England would be forced to give up the pick (No. 118) it just acquired as part of the Brandin Cooks trade. A NFL spokesman has confirmed that is indeed the case, according to Ben Volin of the Boston Globe (Twitter links), meaning the Patriots will now get pick No. 132 (acquired from the Seahawks) back.Bill Belichick (Vertical)

The Patriots, at one point or another, have owned three separate fourth-round picks: their own No. 137 which was dealt to the Colts in the Dwayne Allen trade; the Seahawks’ No. 132 which was acquired in a 2016 draft-day swap; and No. 118, picked up in the Cooks deal. New England will have to sacrifice that No. 118 pick but will be returned No. 132, so the New Orleans trade essentially boils to Cooks and No. 132 in exchange for No. 32 and No. 103.

To account for this bookkeeping change, we’ve altered our Complete 2017 NFL Draft Order page. As it currently stands, the Patriots won’t make a selection until Round 3 (pick no. 72).

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