# McNabb now a Redskin **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [April 5, 2010, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcnabb-now-a-redskin/534962 "2010-04-05T00:49:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![kidchameleon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/898d66/32.png) [@kidchameleon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidchameleon)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2010, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcnabb-now-a-redskin/534962/61 "2010-04-06T14:13:58Z")
> [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](#): > > You should have canned Andy Reid then. I’m pretty sure no one asked **Philster** about it. 😉 If _I_ were a Philly fan, I’d want to promote Andy to director of football operations or some such. He’s a great organizer but not a great game time coach. Luckily I’m a Cowboy fan, so I can enjoy watching Andy call 65% pass plays. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2010, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcnabb-now-a-redskin/534962/62 "2010-04-06T14:28:37Z")
> [@kidchameleon](#): > > If _I_ were a Philly fan, I’d want to promote Andy to director of football operations or some such. He’s a great organizer but not a great game time coach. I think he already is. Or do you mean let him just do that and bring in a different HC? ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2010, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcnabb-now-a-redskin/534962/63 "2010-04-06T14:34:51Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > You know who else felt that way? Colts fans before the 2007 Super Bowl. Yeah, and based on Manning’s untimely INT in _this year’s_ Superbowl, the Colts should have sent him packing…to the Redskins! What, they’ve got Jim Sorgi waiting…its his turn! Manning is old! ---
**Author:** ![kidchameleon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/898d66/32.png) [@kidchameleon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidchameleon)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2010, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcnabb-now-a-redskin/534962/64 "2010-04-06T14:39:40Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > I think he already is. Or do you mean let him just do that and bring in a different HC? Exactly. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2010, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcnabb-now-a-redskin/534962/65 "2010-04-06T14:46:51Z")
Speaking as a Houston Astros fan, losing in the playoffs every year is way superior to not having any hope from the beginning of the year. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2010, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcnabb-now-a-redskin/534962/66 "2010-04-06T14:51:09Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > Yeah, and based on Manning’s untimely INT in _this year’s_ Superbowl, the Colts should have sent him packing…to the Redskins! What, they’ve got Jim Sorgi waiting…its his turn! Manning is old! We’ll take him. Tom Brady’s getting up in the years; send him our way too. I think Brian Hoyer deserves a shot! ---
**Author:** ![Chicagojeff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b19c9b/32.png) [@Chicagojeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chicagojeff)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2010, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcnabb-now-a-redskin/534962/67 "2010-04-06T15:02:08Z")
What will be interesting to observe is if Philly actually does end up on the 4-12 train… how long will that train run before the Kolb-Vick controversy sets off. Having been in the ATL for the both the sublime and the absurd of the Vick years… I see this as a powder keg in Philly of absolutely nuclear proportions… ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2010, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcnabb-now-a-redskin/534962/68 "2010-04-06T15:08:39Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > Yeah, and based on Manning’s untimely INT in _this year’s_ Superbowl, the Colts should have sent him packing…to the Redskins! What, they’ve got Jim Sorgi waiting…its his turn! Manning is old! Jim Sorgi is in New York backing up the other Manning. The Colts have Curtis Painter as their designated kneeler. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2010, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcnabb-now-a-redskin/534962/69 "2010-04-06T15:28:29Z")
I laughed pretty hard when I saw Sorgi had gone to the Jints. Spending an entire career backing up Mannings isn’t bad work if you can get it. I don’t understand why the Colts let him go, though; Painter obviously isn’t ready for even mop-up work. ---
**Author:** ![rockle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/73ab20/32.png) [@rockle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rockle)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2010, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcnabb-now-a-redskin/534962/70 "2010-04-06T15:58:51Z")
I just want to point out, as someone else “who was raised in the shadows of the stadiums, who live and breathed Philly sports all [her] life,” that **Philster** most definitely DOES NOT speak for me. Talk like that is the reason that most people hate Philadelphia sports fans. Including a good number of us who live here. > [@Chicagojeff](#): > > What will be interesting to observe is if Philly actually does end up on the 4-12 train.. how long will that train run before the Kolb-Vick controversy sets off. Having been in the ATL for the both the sublime and the absurd of the Vick years.. I see this as a powder keg in Philly of absolutely nuclear proportions.. Boy, howdy. There were a good number of people here who wanted Ryan Howard gone when he didn’t repeat as NL MVP. It’s total Guatemalan insanity peppers up in here. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2010, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcnabb-now-a-redskin/534962/71 "2010-04-06T17:42:47Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Jim Sorgi is in New York backing up the other Manning. The Colts have Curtis Painter as their designated kneeler. > [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > I laughed pretty hard when I saw Sorgi had gone to the Jints. Spending an entire career backing up Mannings isn’t bad work if you can get it. I don’t understand why the Colts let him go, though; Painter obviously isn’t ready for even mop-up work. Oops, forgot about that! Its hard work keeping track of all these backup QB’s not named Vick! ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2010, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcnabb-now-a-redskin/534962/72 "2010-04-06T17:44:33Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Sonny Jurgensen is reported to have commented “These people never learn”. This. Screw The Danny and the horse he rode in on. The Redskins might be better this year, as McNabb’s almost surely the better QB right now. But Jason Campbell’s been a damned good QB, given the conditions he’s been dealing with: a weak receiving corps, a porous OL, and a RB who’s gotten old. Not to mention a different offensive system practically every year of his football life. Not knowing yet where Campbell might wind up, I’d still bet on Campbell having a better year than McNabb in 2011, and I’d make the same bet for 2012, and on from there. I stopped rooting for the Orioles in baseball about a decade ago, because I got to a point where I could no longer stomach Peter Angelos. I’ve been following the Redskins since Otto Graham was coach (that was before Vince Lombardi coached the 'Skins, kids), but The Danny may be driving me to that same point with the 'Skins. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2010, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcnabb-now-a-redskin/534962/73 "2010-04-06T18:02:06Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > But Jason Campbell’s been a damned good QB, given the conditions he’s been dealing with: a weak receiving corps, a porous OL, and a RB who’s gotten old. Not to mention a different offensive system practically every year of his football life. Not knowing yet where Campbell might wind up, I’d still bet on Campbell having a better year than McNabb in 2011, and I’d make the same bet for 2012, and on from there. I’ll take that bet. I was a JC apologist for a long time; I thought he just needed the OL to give him another 1.5 seconds, I thought the receivers were bad, I thought he was being unfairly forced to learn a new offense every year, I thought the running game was letting him down, I thought the play calling was bad, etc. Those things may have all been true at one point or another, but the fact is there were a couple of years we **had** a good OL; we **had** a great running game; we **had** a couple years of stability on the sideline, we **had** a great defense, and we _ **still lost** _. Granted, play calling has been an issue; “conservative” would be too conservative a word to describe the play calling at times, but still… JC may have the physical assets to be a winner, and I believe he’s a smart guy, but that intangible “great QB” quality I’m just not seeing. He’s still got potential and a big upside-- he always did; however, that’s never amounted to wins, and isn’t that what counts? Countless games I’ve, we’ve ALL, watched the OL desperately trying to stave off the defense for too long while JC holds the ball, staring down Santana Moss who’s circled by DB’s, then dumping it off underneath for a 3-yard loss, or chucking it to Cooley for a 3 yard gain on 3rd and 7 for the 8th straight 3-and-out. He’s a statue in the pocket, screaming “PLEASE SACK ME.” Bottom line, JC has had his opportunity here, and it’s just not working out for either party, so clearly it’s time for him to go. I wish him luck and bear no ill will; no one would deny he’s a class-act or that he played his heart out, but bon-voyage! ---
**Author:** ![pricciar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@pricciar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pricciar)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2010, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcnabb-now-a-redskin/534962/74 "2010-04-06T18:04:46Z")
One interesting aspect of this story that I have seen in some writeups is that the trade was the result of Howie Roseman staking out of his territory. Roseman replaced Tom Heckert, who was known as Reid’s guy, in January. The stories say Reid was fine on keeping McNabb, but that Roseman was convinced that it was time to move on. Reid had spent years defending McNabb to others in the organization. Roseman was able to convince him that it was time to get some value for him. Reid, it was said, tentatively agreed as long as they could find a team McNabb would be happy with. This paints Reid as a bit nicer than I ever expected him to be. And, the McNabb deal is in line with how the Eagles have dealt with aging players, so I am not sure how true it is. But, it is an interesting take on things. Philster, I thought you were parodying a typical Philadelphia talk show caller. I can see how you would think McNabb had to leave. I don’t really like it. I just like the idea of awesome players sticking their careers with one team. But, I see the logic of wanting to rebuild. Jimmy Chitwood put it pretty well. But, the visceral hate you seem to espouse is just weird. And, it seems to not only cover McNabb and the Eagles regime, but anyone who disagrees with you! You don’t have Eagles parties any more? I don’t know. I think you might be alone there. I see plenty of parties in South Philly. In the Northeast, where I am, I see Eagles Jerseys all over the place on game day. Hoots and hollers and filled up bars. And, the fact that you prefer a 4-12 season is a little crazy. Most of the people arguing for Kolb thinks he can be better NOW, not after a 4-12 season. If Kolb is that bad a lot of people are going to be pissed. They say that the backup quarterback is always the most popular player on a team. That’s going to be a hard trick for Michael Vick to be the most popular player in Philadelphia. People’s heads are going to explode when they can’t decide whether or not to hate Vick, or love him as a starter since Kolb threw too many ints. I worry about Kolb. I’m an Eagles fan, so I hope he can be great. But, in some ways I think people are a little too enthralled by his two starts last year. One was 300 yards against a very very bad KC team, the other was 300 yards against the future world champions. But, the team got blown out, so throwing long bombs was the only way he had to try to catch up. But, he’s younger and in a good system. The entire team is young. So, hopefully, the WRs can continue to be awesome and these draft picks they are picking up left and right will turn into a replenished defense and the offense will take care of itself. ---
**Author:** ![pricciar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@pricciar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pricciar)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2010, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcnabb-now-a-redskin/534962/75 "2010-04-06T18:09:00Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > This. > > Screw The Danny and the horse he rode in on. > > The Redskins might be better this year, as McNabb’s almost surely the better QB right now. Wait. The Jurgenson quote was about the Redskins current make up? I thought Jurgenson was making a joke about the last time the Eagles traded a starting quarterback and watched him have a Hall of Fame career with the Redskins. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2010, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcnabb-now-a-redskin/534962/76 "2010-04-06T18:12:24Z")
Same here - I gave Campbell the benefit of the doubt until last year, when I really thought he’d have a breakout season. I’m no longer willing to do so. ---
**Author:** ![Roulette](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8dc957/32.png) [@Roulette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roulette)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2010, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcnabb-now-a-redskin/534962/77 "2010-04-06T18:52:51Z")
> [@Omniscient](#): > > I like Peter King but he’s not an analyst and his track record of predicting things like this is pretty spotty at best. There are just too many teams that are scrapping for a QB and there are too few that inspire confidence in the draft to think that Campbell won’t draw a lot of interest. He’s only contracted for 1 year and the Redskins has lost some leverage with Campbell obviously being expendable but the demand is great enough that Campbell should command a better pick than that, or multiple picks. I think Carolina would be foolish to not grab him and extend him, they have nothing there now and their offense can’t wait to develop a rookie. There’s no chance that a 3rd or 4th round pick would improve the Panthers more than Campbell and Campbell seems to be an A+ character guy to boot. > > This doesn’t make sense to me. I’m not a huge McNabb fanatic and I am probably more critical of him than most but this is a great fit for him and for the Redskins. The Redskins need to build around him but they will have no trouble luring FAs and they have plenty of picks to get started with that. > > Saying that the McNabb deal is bad because it removes the option of drafting a QB with the #4 pick is putting the cart before the horse. Drafting a QB at #4 is by no means a sure thing and most people think taking Claussen at #4 is a bit of a reach out of necessity. I can’t imagine anyone would rather have him than McNabb. > > The Redskins need to be very smart with that #4 pick and their two biggest needs, WR and OT, probably aren’t great values at that spot but there’s a chance they could trade back and offset the pick they had to give up. Still, taking Dez Bryant or Russell Okung at #4 would be no more of a reach and no more of a risk than taking Claussen there. Drafting at four is a thankless position to be in, but adding McNabb doesn’t really change or magnify that. > > The best hope the Redskins can have is that one of the teams drafting ahead of them does something unexpected. If the Rams pass on Bradford and he slides to 4 would mean lots of teams will be beating down the Redskins door to draft him. If Suh or McCoy fall out of the top 3 it could be similar. Even if a team in the 7-13 is bound and determined to get someone like Eric Berry or Jimmy Classuen they’ll have potential suitors. > > By removing the dire need for a QB the Redskins actually improved their position in the draft by making them more flexible and more able to trade and less pressured to take Claussen. Build around McNabb? Why? Do you think he’s a long term solution for them? He’s a band-aid. Best case scenario in my mind, they’ll get 3 years out of him. That’s highly doubtful IMO given his age and injuries over his career, but I’ll be nice. The second pick was options. They had them, and now they don’t. Before, they could grab o-line where ever it was best for them. if they didn’t like any of the QB options, they could stick with Campbell and pick someone else. Now, they can’t. they could have picked a project like Claussen or MyCoy and given them a year on the bench watching. Now, they can’t. They could pick up multiple players that could have helped the team this year. Now, they can’t. Most importantly, it puts the team back into right now mode when they should really be focused on developing a team that will be good over the long haul. Instead, they’ve mortgaged the future (again!) for a player that probably won’t be around long enough to even see those rookie contracts expire. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Ashtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2010, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcnabb-now-a-redskin/534962/78 "2010-04-06T19:02:25Z")
> [@pricciar](#): > > Wait. The Jurgenson quote was about the Redskins current make up? I thought Jurgenson was making a joke about the last time the Eagles traded a starting quarterback and watched him have a Hall of Fame career with the Redskins. That was how I interpreted it as well. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2010, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcnabb-now-a-redskin/534962/79 "2010-04-06T19:11:06Z")
> [@Roulette](#): > > Most importantly, it puts the team back into right now mode when they should really be focused on developing a team that will be good over the long haul. Instead, they’ve mortgaged the future (again!) for a player that probably won’t be around long enough to even see those rookie contracts expire. If you really think trading away a second round pick for a Pro Bowl QB who has 3 years left in him (I’d predict closer to 5 myself) qualifies as “mortgaging the future” then I’d hate to hear what you though of the Jay Cutler trade. You’re being irrationally alarmist. McNabb is an upgrade over Campbell. They gave away _very little_ to get him. They can still draft a developmental QB if they want. Would you rather be in the Redskins shoes with 3 years worth of McNabb and no second round pick or the Detroit Lions with the “QB of the future” and plenty of second rounders? The 49ers thought they were getting the “QB of the future” in Alex Smith. The Browns thought they were getting the “QB of the future” in Brady Quinn. The Redskins thought they were getting the “QB of the future” in Jason Campbell for Ogs sake. You talk like having that second rounder back would somehow make finding the QB of the future a virtual certainty. They’ve tried that, it didn’t work, it usually doesn’t. Peyton Manning and Philip Rivers are the exceptions. ---
**Author:** ![Roulette](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8dc957/32.png) [@Roulette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roulette)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2010, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcnabb-now-a-redskin/534962/80 "2010-04-06T19:28:00Z")
The difference is that they gave up a pick and didn’t fill a need. We now have McNabb instead of Campbell. While an upgrade was nice, it didn’t actually get rid of the need for a new QB to be developed. Now, they need to start planning for the day after McNabb because, they’ve got nothing in the cupboard. Campbell and Grossman are gone after this season because both want to start. Behind them, nothing to develop. That’s not filling a need, it’s a band-aid. But more importantly, they didn’t HAVE to get a QB in the 2nd. or the 1st. They could have grabbed 2 lineman, or found a good LB, and let Campbell take another whack at it if there wasn’t anyone in the draft they felt was up to the task. He’s not great, but he was serviceable. The 2nd round pick is a risk. If they’d gotten someone that probably wouldn’t have to be replaced in a few years, I’d call it a solid win because the known is better than the unknown. But they didn’t. They got yet another old player who they’re going to run into the ground hoping they can hold off actually rebuilding for another year. So far, that path is a cesspool of mediocrity. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcnabb-now-a-redskin/534962.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mcnabb-now-a-redskin/534962.md?page=5)