Posted from Curmudgeon Corner, Maine<\/p>\n
I’m worried. I’m uncharacteristically optimistic. That frightens me, a bit.<\/p>\n
Yesterday evening, the Eagles and Redskins finalized a deal, sending future Hall of Fame quarterback, Donovan McNabb to the Redskins in exchange for the 37th<\/sup> pick this year, and the Redskins’ 4 round pick next year (3rd<\/sup> round of certain performance measures are reached by McNabb). <\/p>\n In doing so, the flavor of the NFC East was changed… the 2010 NFL Draft was changed… and the impression that Mike Shanahan was in pure rebuild mode was shattered.<\/p>\n My initial reaction was an over-used epithet. But as I thought about it, it became clear that this was a brilliant move.<\/p>\n The last time the Eagles sent a future HOF quarterback to another team in the same division was 1964, when they sent Sonny Jurgensen to the Redskins. Incidentally, it is not difficult, at this point, to argue that Donovan McNabb is likely to be the best Redskins quarterback since Sonny.<\/p>\n Think Donovan is too old? How many Super Bowl victories did John Elway have when Shanahan took the reigns at Denver? How old was Elway at the time? How many Super Bowl wins did Elway close his career with?<\/p>\n So, here are all these Redskins fans, bickering about the best way for Mike Shanahan and Bruce Allen to go about the anticipated 2-3 year rebuild, and anticipating the selection of Okung and McCoy in the 2010 draft, and the long, and tortured process of watching the team attempt to achieve a reasonable result next season, when the announcement of the trade blew it up.<\/p>\n It is now very clear. The Redskins are intending to compete this year. Yes, we still need a Left Tackle. We need a Right Tackle. We need some O-line depth. There is little doubt that an attempt to secure the next franchise LT will occur with the 4th pick of this years draft. The season may be determined, however, by the search for a Right Tackle and, possibly, line depth.<\/p>\n Will it work? I have no idea, but I’m hopeful. Many of the needed pieces are in place, now. If Shanahan can succeed in addressing the Offensive line issues, this is a very different team. No matter how that particular search turns out, it is clear that we do not have to wait until the 2012 season to see excitement back at Fed-Ex.<\/p>\n I have to admit…<\/p>\n … I’m a bit excited.<\/p>\n HTTR<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"