This week marks the 20th anniversary of the Herschel Walker trade, the biggest and most infamous deal in NFL history. You probably have a thumbnail sketch of the deal in your mind: The Cowboys used the trade to bolster their roster, and the Vikings released Walker after a little less than three seasons with the club.

But did you know that the Cowboys didn't exercise a single draft pick acquired from Minnesota? No, head coach/trading fiend Jimmy Johnson spun off all of the Vikings' picks in deals for other picks and players.

And it is here that we come to the story of how the Vikings' 1992 second-round pick, acquired 2½ years earlier in the Walker trade, helped the Lions draft PK Jason Hanson, their all-time leading scorer. 

Let's take a trip back in time, shall we?

The story starts on Draft Day 1992, with Dallas holding what used to be Minnesota's second-round selection, which was No. 40 overall. But the Cowboys, as they always were in the Johnson era, were willing to deal. Not surprisingly, they find a trade partner, and it's the Chiefs, who have their sights on QB Matt Blundin. A deal is struck: The Chiefs get the No. 40 pick, and the Cowboys get the Chiefs' second- and third-round picks (Nos. 47 and 74 overall).

The Cowboys, of course, are not done dealing. They ship the Nos. 47 and 74 picks to the Redskins for the No. 56 pick (the last pick in Round Two) and the No. 58 pick (the second selection in Round Three, which Washington acquired in an earlier trade with Cincinnati, a deal that allows the Redskins to trade up for WR Desmond Howard and the Bengals to move down for QB David Klingler).  

Remarkably, the Cowboys actually exercise one of the picks acquired from Washington, taking CB Clayton Holmes 58th overall. (The Redskins, in case you are wondering, select DE Shane Collins and OG Paul Siever with their picks.)

As for the No. 56 selection? This is where the Lions come in. Detroit acquires the pick from Dallas, trading third-, fourth- and ninth-round picks to the Cowboys, who take OT James Brown, OL Tom Myslinski and DB Chris Hall. 

And with the final pick of the second round, the Lions select Hanson.

Related link: Walker trade built foundation for Cowboys' success

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