When the Patriots traded Jimmy Garoppolo to the 49ers in October of 2017, the return for the young quarterback was initially just a single 2nd-round pick in the 2018 NFL draft.
Over time, the legacy of the deal has become more complex, given what the Patriots did with that draft pick. Instead of simply using it to select one player, New England traded it to get more picks, then traded those picks, and continued trading an ever-evolving return of picks in each deal.
The perpetual trading of picks is a customary tactic of Bill Belichick and the Patriots, who have made it a habit over the years to constantly move up and down the draft board.