McNabb a Redskin! (Part II)

[GTripp0012]

Originally Posted by skinsguy

Based on this one move, the conclusion still would not be that [they] are idiots. If for only one reason is, McNabb is a clear upgrade from Jason Campbell. If for another reason, the Redskins have not had a franchise QB since Joe Theismann (and some may argue that he wasn't necessarily a franchise QB.) If you're adding in the prospects of what the FO will do with our #4 pick, then this move will turn out to cost us nothing than the money in McNabb's contract (and we have no cap and Snyder has deep pockets who cares about that anyway?) We may in fact be able to trade down and get that second round pick back and possibly other picks if we don't use the #4 to get Okung. Which will be likely if Okung is gone before we pick #4.

So, I really can't see how one can call the FO idiots for solidifying a pressing need that we haven't had in years (a solid starting QB) and still having options left to rebuild the offensive line. I can see if we traded our only pick away on McNabb, but that didn't happen. Now the Redskins (assuming the OL gets addressed with the draft) are instant contenders in the NFC with a QB who can play for us for the next 3 or 4 years at least. By that point, hopefully we will draft a new young RB, and our offensive line will be solid. And then we can concentrate on drafting a new QB. I was unsure about the McNabb move in the beginning, but now I see it as a big blessing for us.

The same reasons that it's clear that McNabb is an upgrade from Jason Campbell is the exact same reason that this trade has limited upside. The reason that no one is arguing that McNabb is better is because they are both proven commodities in the NFC East. It's also why we know, or at least have a good idea of, McNabb isn't going to get any better going from Philadelphia to Washington. The situations are fairly similar, but he's just losing some good weaponry (while picking up a few TEs).

I do not wish to dispute the historical value of one player to the other. They've been pretty close in recent years, but McNabb has been established since before Campbell was drafted. There's no reason to act like we shouldn't expect a quick upgrade, because we certainly paid for one, and most (not all) of the evidence sees McNabb as the better player in 2010.

The above, not in dispute.

There is an uncertainty factor on how much longer McNabb can play at a high level, and the Eagles know that they were getting too close to the point for comfort. This is also undeniable. This does not mean that the Eagles knew something we didn't about McNabb this season, but as a franchise that had options, why wouldn't they be willing to let someone else in the division deal with his decline? It's a huge advantage to pick now to move to Kolb, and work on building a core of passing production rather than sustaining.

Look, there's only so much spin that the homers can put on this deal. This is because we know what McNabb and have a good idea of what he is and will be, and we made the conscious decision to mortgage the future for something that could be up to an additional win this season. This has not worked in the past for a price greater than a 4th round pick (for which we secured Pete Kendall), and there's little reason to presume a sudden positive outcomes with results.

I really hope that John Clayton and the others who see only the upcoming season as significant are right in their assessments, but most aren't willing to go so far as to make this trade seem so one-sided.