The-Hogs.net - Washington Football Discussion, Redskins to Commanders Era

During both the Week 12 10-pack and Monday night’s edition of NBC SportsTalk, we pointed out that, if Vikings quarterback Donovan McNabb has any desire to play football, he should ask the team for his release.

He apparently has.

Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that McNabb will be released today.

The move will spark another game of waiver-wire bluff, in which any interested team much submit a claim for the balance of his one-year contract. The team with the highest priority will acquire his services.

The Texans should make a claim, notwithstanding the recent decision to sign Jake Delhomme. The Bears, who were blocked last week from getting Kyle Orton, also should make a claim.

Given Chicago’s lost last weekend to the Raiders, the Bears will have dibs over the Texans.

Another possibility is the Cowboys, given that Dallas also made a claim for Kyle Orton.

Regardless, it’ll make for an interesting 24 hours, especially while we wait for the Colts to cobble together an excuse for not making a claim for McNabb.

gregory smith wrote:Not surprised by that, but does that affect our compensation from the Vikings?

The Texans didn’t put a waiver claim on Kyle Orton and they won’t put one on Donovan McNabb either.

John McClain of the Houston Chronicle reports the Texans are set at quarterback “at least for now.”

McNabb is set to be released by the Vikings on Thursday. McClain writes that Texans coach Gary Kubiak could possibly have interest in McNabb in a couple of weeks if he wasn’t happy with one of his backups, but the team likes the trio they have under contract: Rookie T.J. Yates, Kellen Clemens, and Jake Delhomme.

Kubiak’s mentor in the coaching profession is Mike Shanahan, who won’t exactly give McNabb a sterling endorsement. The Texans seem focused on preparing Yates to start.

With Houston out of the mix, the Bears are the only logical suitor for McNabb as a starter. (Unless the Colts actually try to improve their team.) The Bears could potentially claim him or sign him after he clears waivers. Perhaps the Cowboys could want McNabb as a backup.

There is no indication yet that the Bears have interest, but ESPN’s Adam Schefter suggested on air that McNabb is interested in Chicago. It wouldn’t be a shock if McNabb received word the Bears were interested before he requested his release.

If the Bears are interested in Donovan McNabb, they may want to consider this missive written Thursday by Vikings beat writer Tom Pelissero of espn1500.com.

“McNabb was out of shape when he showed up and fell even more out of shape once he got benched,” Pelissero wrote.

This isn’t exactly a shock considering McNabb’s prior history. (Cardiovascular endurance, anyone?)

Other factors working against McNabb heading to Chicago: He doesn’t know Mike Martz’s system and he didn’t have the greatest effort against the Bears earlier in the year.

Still, we find it hard to believe McNabb would request his release without knowing that some team wanted him. We’ll have to wait another day to find out what team that is.