It seems like we were talking about this at this time last year. Oh yeah, we were.
Then-[intlink id=”374″ type=”category”]Philadelphia Eagles[/intlink] quarterback Donovan McNabb was clearly on his way out of Philly and [intlink id=”41″ type=”category”]Brett Favre[/intlink] was giving every indication he planned on staying retired, which, in hindsight would have been a tremendous idea. So, why not reunite McNabb with his former offensive coordinator, then-[intlink id=”35″ type=”category”]Minnesota Vikings[/intlink] coach [intlink id=”66″ type=”category”]Brad Childress[/intlink]?
Obviously, a lot has changed since then.
McNabb got shipped to the Washington Redskins, where he more-or-less sucked it up before getting benched in favor of former [intlink id=”13″ type=”category”]Chicago Bears[/intlink] dud, Rex Grossman. McNabb has to be the first dude in history to get benched in favor of Rex Grossman, but that’s not what’s important here.
On the Vikings side, Favre came back, played like crap, got hurt and finally retired, while Childress got canned before the season was even over. So, the Vikings, who are the biggest steaming pile of shit organization in professional sports, are looking for a quarterback again.
Every indication is they plan to draft one early in this year’s draft, but starting a rookie quarterback in the [intlink id=”527″ type=”category”]NFC North[/intlink] isn’t likely to go well. That leaves the Vikings with two choices — either go with incumbent Joe Webb to open the season or sign a veteran signal caller to start while they prepare their new guy.
The latter route makes more sense. The Vikings are going to be in the lower half of the division regardless, but bringing in a veteran at least gives them a chance to compete, which is why some are saying McNabb makes sense… again.
“He would be plugged into a system where they have Sidney Rice -– they’ll find a way to keep him there — and he would have a lot of weapons, with Adrian Peterson in the backfield. With everything they have going offensively, they’ll be able to plug in McNabb and have success,” NFL Network analyst Jon Jansen said.
Jansen is right about one thing. Whoever the quarterback is, he’ll have at least two decent weapons in Peterson and receiver Percy Harvin. The big question is Rice.
Rice will be a free agent when the new collective bargaining agreement is signed. The Vikings chose to use their franchise tag on linebacker Chad Greenway, so there’s no guarantee Rice will be back.
Perhaps the bigger question is, does McNabb have anything left?
Marshall Faulk echoed Jansen’s sentiment.
“I believe that Donovan will go to Minnesota, and he’ll help this team out, being the veteran quarterback that he is.”
Personally, I couldn’t disagree more.
McNabb has played only one full season in his last seven (2008). He threw more interceptions than touchdowns last season, for the first time in his career. His touchdown total (14) and quarterback rating (77.1) were the lowest they’ve been since his rookie season, when he only started six games.
Those are not the numbers of a quarterback that frightens me.
McNabb may be an upgrade over Webb, but that’s about it. Either way, the Vikings are going to suck and it tickles me pink.