McNabb to the Rams "not yet completed"
The Philadelphia Inquirer Blog - Eagles
McNabb to the Rams "not yet completed"
Jeff McLane, Inquirer Staff Writer
ORLANDO – Andy Reid confirmed yesterday that the Eagles are entertaining offers for Donovan McNabb.
Asked if a deal between the Eagles and Rams that involved McNabb for St. Louis’ second-round pick (33d overall) was on the table, a league source said that it was “not yet completed.”
Whether that deal or any deal is imminent is unclear. The Eagles had no comment. Rams general manager Billy Devaney told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that he has not “talked to Philadelphia about any of their players.”
However, another source close to the situation said that the two teams have talked, but that the Eagles are still trying to get the best deal possible for their 33-year-old franchise quarterback. The Rams also hold the No. 1 overall pick in the draft and could use that selection to take Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford.
McNabb would be willing to go to the Rams if he was given a contract extension, according to a source close to the situation. He would not be willing to play for Buffalo or Oakland, two moribund franchises that might be willing to take McNabb without an extension.
McNabb has publicly stated that he wants to remain with the Eagles and retire with the only organization he has played for. He released a blog post yesterday after Reid said for the first time publicly that the Eagles were listening to offers for him, Kevin Kolb and Michael Vick.
“My position hasn’t changed,” McNabb wrote. “I’ve said all along that I would like to win a Super Bowl and finish my career in Philadelphia.
“I understand the situation well and just hope whichever direction the Eagles decide to go in, they do it quickly. I think that would be best for me, Kevin, Michael, the Eagles, and any other teams involved. No matter what happens, I’ve already begun preparing to have an outstanding season in 2010.”
McNabb, meanwhile, hasn’t spoken to Reid in months, according to one source. He has spent most of the off-season at his home in Arizona.
The Eagles are reportedly in search of a second-round draft pick for McNabb, but they may have to take something less with the list of potential suitors drying up. Early in the off-season they set the bar high. They were asking for two first-round draft picks and a third-round draft pick, according to a league source.
Yesterday, Reid said he liked the new format for this year's draft, which features only the first round on the first day.
"I'd love to have that first pick of the second day," Reid said, referring to the 33d overall pick. "Where you can sleep on it, regather your thoughts, which you normally don't get to do."
The Bills and Raiders, two teams in need of a spark, could be likely matches. They could trade for McNabb, who is the last year of his contract, without asking for an extension. If they wanted an extension, McNabb could simply refuse to negotiate.
Reid said that the team has placed a value on each of his quarterbacks. It is unlikely that the Eagles would get much in return for Vick right now. The asking price for Kolb is higher than it is for McNabb, a league source said.
If the Eagles can’t make a deal, Reid said that McNabb would remain his starter, Kolb his backup and Vick the third stringer. He was asked if some of the offers piqued the team’s interest.
“We’ll go back and look through those and think through them a little bit, away from this situation here,” Reid said. “There’s nothing right now that I’d jump up and down about. But there has been some interest.”
If a deal between the Eagles and Rams was struck, McNabb would work under offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur, his former quarterbacks coach with the Eagles. St. Louis head coach Steve Spagnuolo was a defensive coach under Reid.
YYYIIPPPPPPPEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!— JohnnyN
Comment removed.- for those happy about mcnabb's impending depature... prepare for this: 2010 4-12 2011 6-10 reid fired... new coach hired.. and another 5 years of wasting away... that's the real scenario.— rodnougat
- He can't complete the out pattern, definitely the deep out, unless it's to the other team, and across the middle gets floated too often...and without better-than-average protection (which we don't have) and a credible threat of a running game (which is still yet to fully prove itself and gets lost in play-callng in wins and losses), teams will blitz and change up schemes to confuse him into turnovers. They'll either need to go OL with both their 1st rd and the 33rd pick to shore up the line or KK will get a dose of joey-harrington syndrome, i.e. sack after int after sack.— Bleue
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Bleue, based on what? Kolb, if nothing else, is WAY more accurate than McNabb. Donovan does a good job with keeping the INTS down too, but that's because no one can catch his worm burners.— Hamlin- and sima down nah, his blog started out by saying that he was asked to resond to Reid's comments, not that he just came out and volunteered the information.— Bleue
- Not sure about the Rams, I thought they were getting Bradford and they already have someone better than Mac right now (unless they go ahead and release him).— Phils_World_Champs
- The dog killer is the one who should go, but no one wants him. What a shock! He's a useless excuse for a human yet we are stuck with him. And the best QB that we've had in decades and you faithless fans can't wait to see him go. Makes perfect sense. Can't wait to see how badly the team does this year...— 4rosco
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- It doesn't matter who is the QB this season. The Eagles are not strong enough to even make a serious run at the Super Bowl this year. There are too many glaring needs still unfilled. Even if by some miracle,Reid gets 3 stud starters out of this draft, it won't be enough. First year players make rookie mistakes that are costly. I'd rather have one down year with Kolb than another year of the Chokaholic and waste another year on him.— The Marco Islander
- Take note of everyone celebrating the dawn of the Kevin Kolb era, and let's see their tears in midseason when they're calling for his benching. I think he'll be good, eventually. But 2010 will officially be a rebuilding year.— JettMartinez
- wondo40, he was good. Not great. McNabb is a good quarterback.— Hamlin
- This is the best return the Eagles can hope for - do it now.— WWW.WEEMSWEAR.COM
- Well, everyone who is so happy better pray that Kolb (a complete unknown) can play. Really good quarterbacks don't grow on trees. And if Kolb is anything like 90 percent of all drafted quarterbacks, which is really bad, move over Detroit Lions, there's a new bottom feeder in town. I for one think they should trade Andy Reid for a bag rocks. I am finished with this guy. All he gave McNabb for ten years was garbage. He finally puts together an offense and now he's letting some other guy play with it. I've said it before and I'll say it again. If you want to blame McNabb, you have to blame Reid as well. Reid needs to go.— Hemingway
