How heavily protected is "heavily protected"? To what degree are they allowed to protect a pick?
Could it be something like:
Top 25 round 2 for the next 5 years?
can't the pick expire if it doesn't make it out of protection for a few years? meaning, it goes back to SAC?
Remember the 1st rounder from Minnesota we got in the Wally deal? That had seven years of protection on it, and if those protections were still in effect during that seventh year, Minnesota would have given us their second rounder to complete the deal.
I'm guessing the same thing is in effect here, except because we're talking about a second rounder to begin with, the seventh year would have no restrictions.
I guess we won't know for sure until a formal announcement.