McNabb confident of return

Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb expressed confidence that he would be back for the start of the season while conducting several interviews yesterday at ESPN's headquarters in Bristol, Conn.

On an ESPN radio show, McNabb discussed his rehabilitation from a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. McNabb was asked if he thought he would be ready to play in the first game of the year.

"Absolutely," said McNabb, who suffered the season-ending injury Nov. 19 in a 31-13 loss to the Tennessee Titans. "I'm looking forward to having a great season and playing with the great acquisitions we've just had and the ones to come."

Earlier this week, Eagles coach Andy Reid told The Inquirer that McNabb was "a little ahead of schedule" in his rehabilitation but was not likely to be back on the practice field until at least the start of training camp in late July.

McNabb expressed optimism that he could be back on the field sooner.

The 30-year-old McNabb was asked what the Eagles' biggest needs were.

"When you talk about what we went through in the previous year, I think it's linebacker depth," McNabb said. "I think it's defensive-front depth. And on the offensive side, we definitely have to go after a quarterback and a wide receiver. And a big back."

"Did you say quarterback?" radio host Colin Cowherd asked.

"Absolutely," McNabb said.

The quarterback appeared on several ESPN programs, including SportsCenter, where he handled some announcing duties.

"He was in for the day and we wanted to have some fun with him and see him in a different light," said Mark Preisler, the show's coordinating producer.

Is McNabb future anchor material?

"I think so," Preisler said. "He took it very seriously and did a great job."

"He was proactive and looking to hone his skills and doesn't want to just be pigeonholed as an NFL analyst," studio host Linda Cohn said last night. "He is knowledgeable enough to pull it off, and he has a tremendous interest and knowledge of other sports as well as football."