New Orleans sent K.D. Williams and a 2001 third-round pick to…
New Orleans sent K.D. Williams and a 2001 third-round pick to Green Bay for Lamont Hall and quarterback Aaron Brooks. Brooks became the centerpiece, starting late in 2000 and helping deliver the first playoff victory in Saints history. He ultimately threw for 20,261 career yards and 123 touchdowns. Green Bay’s return never approached that franchise-level impact, making this an overwhelming Saints win.
Green Bay Packers Received
- pick 2001 3rd round pick (82nd overall subsequently traded, Heath Evans ) and K.D. Williams
New Orleans Saints Received
- player Lamont Hall and Aaron Brooks
Trade Analysis
Why Green Bay Could Afford to Deal Brooks
Aaron Brooks was a fourth-round pick in 1999, but Green Bay already had Brett Favre entrenched at quarterback. The Packers therefore treated Brooks as a movable developmental asset and sent him with Lamont Hall to New Orleans for K.D. Williams and a future third-round pick. The logic was understandable for a contender with an established star, yet the trade created a major value gap once Brooks received an opportunity to play.
What Brooks Gave New Orleans
Brooks became far more than a backup lottery ticket. He stepped into the lineup late in the 2000 season, went 3-2 as a starter and helped New Orleans earn the first playoff victory in franchise history. He later became a durable multi-year starter, finishing his career with 20,261 passing yards and 123 touchdown passes. From 2001 through 2004, he surpassed 3,500 passing yards and 21 touchdowns in every season.
How the Packers’ Return Compared
Green Bay received Williams and the 82nd overall pick in the 2001 draft, a selection that was subsequently traded. Neither part of the return produced anything close to the sustained quarterback value New Orleans received. The Packers were not damaged at quarterback because Favre remained elite, but trade value is judged by the assets exchanged, not by whether the seller already had a star at the same position.
Final Verdict
New Orleans Saints Win. New Orleans earns an A for acquiring a long-term starting quarterback and a player who helped produce a historic playoff breakthrough at modest cost. Green Bay receives a D+ because the return never matched Brooks’s eventual production. The Packers’ roster context explains the decision, but it does not erase the enormous difference in football value created after the trade.