Atlanta Falcons received Ernie Jackson (b. 1950-04-11), while…
Atlanta Falcons received Ernie Jackson (b. 1950-04-11), while New Orleans Saints received Ray Brown (Madison). Transaction records show Atlanta acquired veteran defensive back Ernie Jackson from New Orleans for Ray Brown on May 2, 1978. That return earns a C grade for Atlanta Falcons, and the overall verdict is New Orleans Saints Win.
Atlanta Falcons Received
- player Ernie Jackson (b. 1950-04-11)
New Orleans Saints Received
- player Ray Brown (Madison)
Trade Analysis
The Exchange
On 1978-05-02, Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints completed a deal in which Atlanta Falcons received Ernie Jackson (b. 1950-04-11), while New Orleans Saints received Ray Brown (Madison). The exchange was modest in scale, but it still created a direct comparison between the service one club obtained and the player or draft value returned to the other. The supported package provides a clear basis for judging both sides.
Atlanta Falcons Return
Atlanta Falcons came away with Ernie Jackson (b. 1950-04-11). That side receives a C. The grade reflects direct service for the acquiring club and, where a selection was involved, the identifiable value produced by that choice. A useful role in a smaller transaction deserves credit, but the evaluation stays proportional to the size of the deal and the length of the contribution.
New Orleans Saints Return
New Orleans Saints received Ray Brown (Madison), which earns a B+. The same standard applies here: actual playing time, starting value, or a productive draft result counts more than theoretical value that never reached the field. A short stay or a late selection can still help, but it does not receive outsized credit simply because the exchange is easy to trace decades later.
Value in Hindsight
Transaction records show Atlanta acquired veteran defensive back Ernie Jackson from New Orleans for Ray Brown on May 2, 1978. Brown immediately started all 16 games for New Orleans and intercepted four passes, then remained a multi-year starter, giving the Saints the stronger return. Hindsight therefore favors the return that produced the stronger supported value for the original club. Later movement of a player or selection can explain what the consideration became, but unrelated success after another transaction is not credited twice. Where historical sources differ on a minor detail, the comparison uses the strongest supported description without inventing information that the record does not establish.
Final Verdict
The final call is New Orleans Saints Win. Atlanta Falcons receives C, while New Orleans Saints receives B+. The result follows the stronger direct return supported by the transaction history and the players or selections that actually reached the field. The grades are measured for the scale of the trade, separating a useful edge from a truly lopsided outcome.