Miami Dolphins best trade with the New England Patriots

The Miami Dolphins haven’t made many trades with the Patriots.

It is rare to see inter-division trades but the Miami Dolphins have made at least one trade with the Patriots that have been pretty good.

The best trade ever made by the Miami Dolphins with the Patriots is clearly the one that brought Nick Buoniconti to the Dolphins way back in 1969. Then head coach George Wilson sent the Patriots linebacker John Bramlett, quarterback Kim Hammond, and a 5th round draft pick to the Patriots.

At the time, the NFL Draft was deep with 16 rounds so a 5th round pick was considered pretty high. Buoniconti of course would go on to have a Hall of Fame career. Buoniconti began his NFL career in 1962 with the then Boston Patriots. By the time he came to Miami he had already established himself as a top linebacker.

Nick Buoniconti and his 14 years were HOF worthy.

Buoniconti spent seven seasons with the Patriots before the trade and made four Pro Bowls and four All-Pro’s. He would spend seven seasons in Miami but would only play six, missing his second to last season due to a thumb injury.

As for Bramlett, well he had a decent career in the NFL but never to the level of Buoniconti. He played from 1965 to 1971 and spent time with the Broncos, Dolphins, Patriots, and finally the Falcons. After retirement he founded the Bramlett Ministry.

The deal for the Dolphins was fantastic and would give Don Shula a lynchpin middle linebacker that became a major anchor on the no-name defense.