Patriots trade Jones to Cardinals for Cooper, 2nd-round pick

The NFL's latest blockbuster trade is a shocking deal between the New England Patriots and Arizona Cardinals centered around standout defensive end Chandler Jones.

New England is sending Jones to Arizona in exchange for guard Jonathan Cooper and a second-round draft selection, the Cardinals announced Tuesday.

Arizona has long been in search of an impact pass-rusher as the missing piece on an otherwise dominant defense. Having recorded 36 sacks over his first four seasons, Jones certainly nets the club an established player on the edge.

He'll immediately step in as an every-down contributor on the weak side, finally giving the unit an edge presence to complement the interior dominance of Calais Campbell.

From the Patriots' perspective, looking past the lost production for the upcoming season, the deal appears rational financially.

At a time when top-flight edge-rushers are landing themselves some of the league's most lucrative contracts, New England avoids having to pay Jones a substantial sum when he hits free agency this time next year.

In Cooper, the club takes a chance on a highly talented offensive line prospect who hasn't yet been able to translate his ability into production at the NFL level. Due largely to injuries suffered in his first two seasons, the 2013 first-round pick has started in just 11 games.

The hope will be that, with some better luck in regard to health, Cooper will eventually prove to be a long-term upgrade on a thin Patriots front.

Adding a second-round pick, meanwhile, is all the more valuable to the Patriots in a year in which the Deflategate sanctions forced them to part with their lone first-rounder. New England now has a pair of picks at its disposal in both the second and third rounds of this year's draft.