Redskins Blogger Reaction on McNabb trade
Time for DC Pro Sports Report to take a look around Redskins Nation for the reaction to the surprising and stunning inter-division trade that sent QB Donovan Mcnabb from Philadelphia to Washington.
The reactions are differing dependign on what you read. Just look at the Washington Post. Michael Wilbon likes the trade, Mike Wise does not.
McNabb is not only accustomed to the insanity of being a quarterback in the NFL, and the extra weight of being a black quarterback in the NFL, he laughs it off. It can't get to him, didn't even catch up to him when he was young. If you can survive playing quarterback in Philly, and lead the team to five NFC championship games, then Washington ought to be a piece of cake. After a week or two in D.C., McNabb will wonder who turned down the volume.
As do I, which is why I think this trade for McNabb and what I presume to be the imminent departure of restricted free agent Campbell, are just what both men and the franchise need. The most important thing to the success of a franchise is having an established coach and quarterback, people with commanding presence. And the Redskins have that in Mike Shanahan and McNabb, something they haven't had since perhaps Joe Gibbs and Mark Rypien.
But before everyone congratulates the new brain trust for essentially doing what the old brain trust did -- procure some other town's star instead of developing your own -- answer two questions as thoughtfully and honestly as possible:
Does anyone believe the Washington Redskins are poised to win the Super Bowl next season? What about 2012?
No and no.
Daniel Snyder can bring in a new regime. The owner can say he's ceding authority in football decisions to Mike Shanahan and Bruce Allen like never before. But the delusion ultimately continues.
But it seems this is more about not being able to say the word "Rebuild" than anything. They can't let themselves not say, "Reload." Eleven years running, Snyder is still addicted to the idea the Redskins are just an extra point away from the Lombardi Trophy, and now McNabb becomes the answer.
And if that high second-round pick becomes a running back needed to replace current aging vets in the backfield, this trade hurts them even more.
On to Blogger reaction . . .
Riggos Rag . . .
I personally believe that this is a STATEMENT MOVE. Why a statement? Mike Shanahna and co. came in and my initial thought was whether this new staff was willing to suck for a few years. This says that this new staff wants to win as soon as possible. McNabb is the kind of quarterback who lead a team in battle and have the trust of his coach. Jason Campbell has not been that kind of guy to this point. Unless Campbell is willing to be the backup guy, which I doubt, then he must be cut loose. I feel with all Campbell has gone through, it would only be fair to allow him to find a new place to work.
Redskins Hog Heaven . . .
Believe me: I will try to convince myself otherwise. There's just nowhere to hide it: the Redskins aren't getting anything substancial out of the Donovan McNabb deal.
The Eagles had soured on McNabb for a reason: his play has dropped off significantly since the days where he could buy time running and still find a Duce Staley, or a Terrell Owens, or a Donte Stallworth, or a Brian Westbrook down the field for a big gain. The fact that the Eagles could stand to trade him within the division really tells you everything you need to know about his future value.
At the beginning of this era, this is probably the most enduring issue I have with the McNabb deal: the Redskins have been down this road before, and fans already know how this is going to end.
Walking Deadman blog . . .
"Don't know what to think about this one. I'm stunned."
Hogs Haven . . .
Given the current state of the roster, I'm not biting on this. A 4-12 team does not go to the Super Bowl with the addition of one player and a few over the hill RBs. Of course, the Redskins have a lot of work to do with the draft and trading Campbell, so saying this was a stupid trade now would be naïve in itself. However, history shows this will not work out for the Redskins. I'm not referring to history in the sense where the Redskins fleeced the Eagles for Sonny Jurgensen 40+ years ago. I'm referring to the modern era.
Doesn't this trade reek of the past blunders?
The RB situation is laughable right now. The Redskins are not sniffing a Super Bowl with the current backfield. Same goes for the safeties and LB core. How are you going to fix all this with so few draft picks. Time will tell....which is what I'm afraid of.
Donovan McNabb becomes our starting quarterback for 2010, serious questions about blocking and offensive line play and receiver quality may hamper Dono, and age and injuries may play a role as well. On the upside, Dono will for the first time have a legitimate ground game to back him up. Overall this will be good for Washington. This clears the way for Washington to select a tackle in this month's draft. Sadly, the Jason Campbell era is over.
Homer McFanBoy . . .
While this clearly signifies the dawn of a new day for the burgundy and gold, it also brings out the cynic in us. Are the Redskins officially playing fantasy football?
McNabb is one of the few proven winners in the NFL. Same holds true for Mike Shanahan. Nothing promises the two will be able to recreate their previous successes in Washington, but the dynamic duo should give fans much more reason for cautious optimism than Campbell and Jim Zorn. If nothing else, the Redskins are worth the price of admission again. And maybe, just maybe, that brand-new high-definition video replay board can showcase a newfound firepower this offense has been sorely lacking for far too long.
Kudos to you, Daniel Snyder. You’ve done it again. You brought home another offseason championship and you’ve given everyone around town yet another reason to believe that this team can magically transform into a contender overnight. We should all know better by now, but dammit, you make it so entertaining to be a Redskins fan.
