FanHouse BethelJohnson

Who moved to the head of the NFL class during the draft? Find out with FanHouse's team-by-team 2009 Draft Grades.

No team enjoys wheeling and dealing on draft weekend quite like the New England Patriots. The 2009 draft was no exception, as they made a series of moves resulting in 12 picks, and the stockpiling of even more selections in 2010.

As a result, the moves left the Patriots with no first-round selection for the first time since 2000, which is also the same year they selected some guy named Tom Brady.

The Patriots drafted wide receiver Bethel Johnson in the second round of the 2003 draft. Three years later, he had 39 career receptions and was looking for work. Johnson landed in Minnesota for the 2006 season, but is now out of the league.

That same year, the Patriots again used a second-round pick on a wideout, this time Chad Jackson. Jackson was drafted to replace Deion Branch, and to date, his career has been beset by injuries and inconsistencies. He has just 13 receptions in two seasons, but he's only been active for 14 games over that time. And just like Johnson, Year 3 will determine whether he has a future in New England or elsewhere.

Jackson has followed the career of the wide receiver drafted with the pick the Patriots traded (No. 52 overall) - along with a third-rounder - to get Jackson. That player is the Green Bay Packers' Greg Jennings, who last season had 53 receptions for 920 yards and 12 touchdowns, which tied for second in the NFC behind the Dallas Cowboys' Terrell Owens (15).

"Guys like Jennings, Santonio Holmes [of the Pittsburgh Steelers] was in my class and a couple of other guys. I feel like I can do the same thing," said Jackson. "That's why I got drafted as high as I did. Now I have to take advantage of the opportunity to show what I can really do."

Sometimes it just doesn't work out. Both sides had good intentions, but for one reason (too many dropped passes) or another (refusing to pay a player who attends his grandmother's funeral), it probably makes sense to part ways and start over.

And that sounds like what the Vikings plan to do with their seventh-overall pick from the 2005 draft, Troy Williamson, the guy who was supposed to replace Randy Moss.

After three weeks on the inactive list, Williamson returned to action Sunday night and caught five passes for 39 yards in Minnesota's 32-21 loss to Washington, but this has been another disappointing season for the former No. 1 draft choice.

With just 18 receptions and one touchdown this season, Williamson has been a non-factor in the passing game, where Robert Ferguson and rookie Sidney Rice have passed him by.

And then there was the whole funeral fiasco, where Williamson was docked a game check before the organization thought better of fining a guy for grieving a lost family member.

The Eagles cut Bethel Johnson yesterday for failing to pass a physical after not recovering fast enough from an injury at a post draft mini camp. Sure they cut him, but not for long.

However, team sources said yesterday the plan is to turn around and re-sign Johnson at some point so he can compete with Jeremy Bloom for the job of returning punts and kickoffs.

Bethel Johnson has been a mediocre player in the NFL at best and Jeremy Bloom is a cross sport athlete who hasn't shown he can play a lick of football in years. Bloom seems to have the right attitude. He's sick of all the talk about his injury and lack of play. He just wants to show what he can do on the field.

"That's what I'm most anxious for," said Bloom, who is 5-foot-9, 180 pounds. "You can only tell so much out here [at minicamp]. I'm kind of sick of talking about it. I want to do it and test myself out there."

After being drafted in the fifth round in 2006, Bloom pulled a hamstring muscle in training camp. He tried to rush back from the injury and played in one preseason game, during which he returned two kickoffs for 45 yards against the Baltimore Ravens.

If being an Olympic skier can forecast anything about Bloom on the football field, I believe it shows he has the tremendous work ethic it may take for him to make it in this league. Never underestimate those kids who dedicate amazing portions of their lives for those few moments of glory -- if they win -- at the Olympics.

I have high hopes that Bloom can add some much needed punch to the Eagles return game.