Minnesota traded defensive end Erasmus James to Washington on…
Minnesota traded defensive end Erasmus James to Washington on May 27, 2008, for a conditional 2009 seventh-round pick that became No. 221. The Vikings later used that selection as part of the move up for Jasper Brinkley, while James appeared in only five games for Washington before being released. Minnesota's recovered draft value clearly exceeded Washington's brief return.
Minnesota Vikings Received
- pick 2009 7th round pick (221st overall, Eddie Williams ; later returned to Washington in a 2009 trade-up)
Washington Commanders Received
- player Erasmus James
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
Minnesota sent defensive end Erasmus James to Washington on May 27, 2008. The compensation was a conditional seventh-round selection in the 2009 draft, not a 2008 choice. The condition produced pick No. 221. Minnesota later sent that pick back to Washington as part of a draft-day move from No. 158 to No. 150, where the Vikings selected linebacker Jasper Brinkley.
Minnesota Vikings Return
The Vikings recovered a usable asset for a former first-round pick whose Minnesota career had been derailed by injuries. No. 221 was late-round capital, but it retained enough value to help Minnesota move eight spots higher in the 2009 fifth round. Brinkley became the player selected after that move and eventually gave the Vikings multiple seasons of linebacker service, adding meaningful downstream value to a modest original return.
Washington Commanders Return
Washington took a low-cost chance that James could regain the form that made him a first-round selection. The gamble did not work. James appeared in five games for Washington in 2008 and did not record a sack before the club moved on. Because his stay was so brief, Washington received almost none of the upside that justified giving up even a conditional late choice.
Value in Hindsight
The original price was small, so Washington's miss was not especially damaging. Minnesota nevertheless handled the exit efficiently. Instead of releasing an injured player for nothing, the Vikings extracted a seventh-round asset and later used it to improve their draft position. That chain produced more practical organizational value than James' five-game Washington tenure.
Final Verdict
Minnesota gets a B and Washington a D+. The Vikings salvaged draft capital from a player no longer central to their plans and found a useful way to deploy that capital the following spring. Washington made a defensible low-risk bet, but the almost immediate end of James' tenure leaves the Commanders with very little realized value.