Redskins Trade Jason Campbell for...Nothing at All?

Since we all saw it coming, it wasn't so hard to deal with the news that the Jason Campbell era officially closed today. Sports are funny like that. You pour your heart and soul into fiery debates about the merits of a player, to the point where you become emotionally attached. Or so you think. Because then the day comes that he is traded, and all you care about is: "what did we get in return?"

Apparently, a 4th-round pick in 2012. That is, according to the Washington Post, CSN, Fanhouse, Yahoo!, and the rest of the modest handful of news sources covering the NFL draft.

Except for ESPN's John Clayton who slipped this interesting tidbit into his "Winners and Losers" post-NFL draft column:

Al Davis got it right this year. He added to a solid draft by picking up Campbell for a conditional fourth-round pick, whose conditions appear to be unachievable. For the Redskins to get that fourth-round pick, the Raiders would either have to make the playoffs or Campbell would have to go to the Pro Bowl.

That last sentence really jumps out of the page, doesn't it? I hope Campbell succeeds, but that's just not happening in Washington West. If this is true, the Redskins have forfeited a 2nd and 3rd/4th round pick and an average at worst starting QB for 28 more passing yards per game if we're lucky. Was the market for veteran starting quarterbacks so bad that this was the best the Redskins could do? And isn't a guaranteed 5th/6th/7th-rounder better than a never-gonna-happen 4th?

If this turns out to be true I think Shanahan and Allen were asleep at the wheel on this one. A nonchalant attitude towards draft picks got us into this mess in the first place. Between this and the questionable merits of their other big decisions (alienating the team's best defensive player, signing running backs without legs, overpaying for McNabb) it's not unreasonable to feel nervous. I hope I'm wrong.