New Orleans acquired linebacker Jonathan Vilma from the Jets…
New Orleans acquired linebacker Jonathan Vilma from the Jets in 2008 and later sent New York a 2009 third-round pick after the trade's conditions were met; the Saints also received a 2009 fourth-rounder. Vilma became a defensive captain, made the 2009 Pro Bowl and helped lead the Saints to their Super Bowl XLIV championship. New York gained useful draft value, but New Orleans secured the centerpiece.
New Orleans Saints Received
- player Jonathan Vilma
- pick 2009 4th round pick (118th overall, Stanley Arnoux)
New York Jets Received
- pick 2008 4th round pick (113th overall, Dwight Lowery )
- pick 2009 3rd round pick (76th overall; later traded to Detroit in the move for Shonn Greene)
Trade Analysis
Jonathan Vilma no longer fit cleanly in the Jets' defensive direction by 2008, giving New Orleans an opportunity to acquire a former first-round linebacker entering his prime. The transaction involved conditional future compensation: New York received a 2008 fourth-round pick and, after the conditions were satisfied, a 2009 third-rounder. New Orleans also received a 2009 fourth-round selection as part of the final structure.
Vilma became exactly the kind of veteran the Saints needed. He started 14 games in his first season, then became a captain and defensive centerpiece for the 2009 championship team. He earned a Pro Bowl selection that season, called signals in Gregg Williams' defense and remained a starter through the Saints' Super Bowl XLIV run. His New Orleans tenure eventually lasted six seasons and produced substantially more value than a typical mid-round acquisition.
The Jets did not leave empty-handed. Their 2008 fourth-round selection became Dwight Lowery, a versatile defensive back who played three seasons in New York before a long NFL career. The 2009 third-round pick was later sent to Detroit as part of the Jets' move to draft running back Shonn Greene, adding value through another transaction. New Orleans' incoming 2009 fourth became linebacker Stanley Arnoux, whose career was limited by injuries.
The complete compensation matters because the deal was more substantial than a single fourth-round pick. Even so, the Saints received the best asset by a wide margin. Vilma delivered leadership, several years of starting play and a Pro Bowl season during the franchise's first championship run. New Orleans earns an A+; the Jets receive a B- for extracting useful draft capital from a player they were prepared to move. The Saints win because the veteran became a championship cornerstone.