Redskins Acquire Jammal Brown From The Saints

While I was at the Nationals game yesterday, the Redskins were busy. Per a report on ProFootballTalk’s website, the team acquired offensive tackle Jammal Brown from the New Orleans Saints on Saturday.

Now, this move certainly isn’t a surprise. Washington needs offensive linemen badly and the Saints have long been expected to deal Brown to another team. After sitting out the 2009 season after hip surgery, Brown was reportedly unhappy with the prospect of having to compete with second-year player Jermon Bushrod for his old starting job. The Redskins were glad to take him.

I think this is a great move for the Redskins:

• Brown gives the Redskins O-line credibility. He’s a former first-round pick who has been to 3 Pro Bowls. He also has solid athletic ability that should translate well to Mike Shanahan’s zone-blocking system. And he can play right tackle, a position at which the Redskins could certainly use plenty of talent. Stephon Heyer deserves credit for his journeyman efforts at the spot, but Brown’s veteran experience and his desire to prove himself after missing so much time should bump him to the top of the depth chart. 
• Washington has three rookie linemen that need mentoring. Trent Williams, Selvish Capers, and Erik Cook can only benefit from an additional veteran presence.
• Possibly the greatest thing about the trade is that the Redskins got a good deal. In exchange for Jammal Brown, Washington will send either its third- or fourth-round selection in 2011 to the Saints. Basically, that’s whichever draft pick the team doesn’t send to the Eagles because of the McNabb deal. Now, if Vinnie Cerrato were still GM, then this bullet point would end here. But in addition to that conditional pick, the Saints will send the Redskins either their fifth- or sixth-round pick in 2011. There are rumors of a 2012 pick being sent to New Orleans based on how well Brown performs in the coming season, but essentially the Redskins have gotten a much-needed offensive lineman and they only had to move down two rounds in the draft to get him. Not a bad deal if you ask me.

This is a smarter brand of front office decision-making that has been missing from D.C. for years. The Redskins have bolstered their line and they still have all of their 2011 draft picks (numerically speaking, at least). Brown should help the Redskins become the contenders that they one day aspire to be.