Redskins Boost O-line With Trade for T Jammal Brown

NEW ORLEANS - NOVEMBER 11: Quarterback Drew Brees #9 checks on Jammal Brown #70 of the New Orleans Saints after being injured during the game against the St. Louis Rams at the Louisiana Superdome November 11, 2007 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Rams defeated the Saints 37-29. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
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The Washington Redskins traded conditional draft picks to the New Orleans Saints for offensive lineman Jaamal Brown (29). New Orleans will receive either Washington’s third or fourth round 2011 draft pick depending on this year’s performance of…Donovan McNabb.

The Redskins committed the third or fourth round pick to Philadelphia for McNabb. New Orleans gets the left-over pick.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter explains the details.

“Washington owes the Eagles a third- or fourth-round pick in 2011 for McNabb, based on how the quarterback plays or the team performs. If the Redskins win nine games, or go to the playoffs, or McNabb gets selected to the Pro Bowl, then Philadelphia will receive Washington’s third-round pick and New Orleans will get Washington’s fourth. If none of those happen, then the Eagles will get the Redskins’ fourth-round pick and the Saints will get the Redskins’ third-round pick.

“If New Orleans receives Washington’s fourth-round pick, then the Redskins will get a sixth- or seventh-round pick back from the Saints. However, if Washington’s fourth-round pick goes to Philadelphia, then the Redskins get fifth-round pick from the Saints.”

Clear? Good. Now please explain it to me.

Brown (6’6″, 313 lbs) was drafted in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft (13th overall pick). He started 58 games at left tackle for the Saints between the 2005 and 2008 seasons and was selected to two Pro Bowls (2006 and 2008). Brown suffered a sports hernia injury during preseason 2009 and missed the Saints’ entire Super Bowl campaign.

Once again, the Skins trade for another team’s star and you can expect them to tout yet another first rounder on the roster. This deal makes some sense.

You can never be too rich, or too thin or have too many starting tackles on a line-challenged team. Brown comes to the Redskins at a bargain third round pick. The Skins front office says they will not immediately extend Brown’s contract even though they want to keep him. That’s been an issue in the past.

The Saints seem happier with LT Jermon Bushrod (25) from nearby Towson University who replaced Brown on New Orleans’ offensive line.

Brown and McNabb share eight Pro Bowls between them, yet both are now valued as third round draft picks. It’s the business of sports where the value of a player is inversely related to age. Yet the Redskins always seem to be on the back end of these deals.

We have high hopes that Bruce Allen and Mike Shanahan are making better football decisions than the men who preceded them. But sometimes it feels like nothing has changed.

Brown must pass a physical when he arrived at Redskins Park.

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