Branch Rickey is credited with the old adage that it's better to trade a player a year too early than a year too late. It's a mantra the Patriots have stood by under Bill Belichick. Stalwarts like Logan Mankins, Randy Moss and Richard Seymour have all been traded while still contributing, often for draft picks and/or younger players, and often accompanied with some groans from New England fans.
While there weren't many rumors that the Patriots were about to trade star pass-rusher Chandler Jones away, as they did to the Cardinals on Tuesday, you can look at the deal from that prism and understand why the Patriots chose to move on.