Saints’ Compensation for Brown Directly Tied to Donovan McNabb

The compensation the Saints are set to receive for trading Jammal Brown to the Washington Redskins was supposed to be a simple update at the bottom of the original article. However, the details are so in-depth they warrant a deeper look.

As we all remember, the Redskins traded for quarterback Donovan McNabb from the Philadelphia Eagles on this past Easter Sunday. In order to acquire McNabb, the Redskins agreed to give up a second-round pick in the most recent drafted — which turned into free safety Nate Allen — and either a third or fourth-round pick in 2011.

And now, in order to acquire Brown, the ‘Skins have agreed to send the Saints whichever one of those picks they’re not required to send to the Eagles.

But that’s not all.

Then, the Saints will either send a fifth or sixth-round pick back to the ‘Skins, depending which pick they get from the ‘Skins. If the Redskins send the Saints their third-round pick, then they will receive a fifth-round pick. And if the ‘Skins send the Saints their fourth-round pick, they will receive a sixth-round pick from the Saints.

And still, we’re not done.

If Brown were to make the Pro Bowl, or play in 90 percent of the offensive snaps for the Redskins, the Saints would receive a 2012 sixth-round pick.

I’ve been following the NFL for a long time, and that’s one of the most convoluted deals I’ve ever heard. But either way, it doesn’t look like the Redskins will be giving up much of anything for an All-Pro left tackle.