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EAGLES TRY TO BUILD LEVERAGE FOR McNABB?

Philadelphia Eagles president Joe Banner isn't stoopid. He knows that the only way to get real value for quarterback Donovan McNabb on the trade market is to create the impression that the team isn't inclined to trade him.

And so Banner found the friendly (to the team) radio ear of Howard "Mini-Reid" Eskin and put out the word that McNabb will be back in 2008.

"I can't envision a situation in which [Donovan McNabb] is not our quarterback next year," Banner said on Thursday. "We are talking about a quarterback who went to four straight [NFC] Championship Games. There are only four quarterbacks in the history of the league that have done that. You are talking about a quarterback who has had a higher winning percentage in his first seven years in the league than Peyton Manning. You are talking about a quarterback that has one of the highest quarterback ratings over the first seven seasons, one of the best TD-to-interceptions ratios of any quarterback in the history of this game in his first seven seasons in the league . . . . My expectations, and I can't really even picture a different scenario, is that he'll be the quarterback."

Under Banner's rear-view reasoning, Terry Bradshaw would be a viable candidate to play quarterback in 2008, since he once won four Super Bowls. (And, as we hear it, he's still not dead.)

Look, the NFL isn't about looking backward. It's about moving forward. Why else would the team have used its first pick in the 2007 draft (a second-rounder) on a new quarterback?

Regardless of McNabb's past accomplishments, the only thing that matters after 2007 is whether he's the right guy for 2008.

And let's also not rule out the possibility that Banner is trying to seize the high road in the event that he already knows (or, at a minimum, senses) that McNabb is going to make a Culpepperesque power play to get out of town after the season ends. If that happens, it's important for the team to be perceived in Philly as the victim. What better way to set the table for that than by doing the "we're not worthy" routine a few weeks before McNabb's potential plan begins to unfold?

The same reasoning applies to coach Andy Reid, whom Banner also proclaimed will be back in 2008. Translation: "If Reid's not the coach, it won't be because of anything we did to run him out the door."

So why are we being so cynical about Banner's comments?

"I'm not going to be the Alabama coach."

Success in the sport is premised on deception. For the same reason that play-action passes and zone blitzes can result in big gains between the lines, working the media and the fan base can ensure that sales of tickets and hats and jerseys won't dip in the wake of changes that could rock the locker room to its core. Likewise, if other teams truly believe that the Eagles want to keep McNabb, then they'll offer more in order to pry him away.

Regardless, then, of whether the team would prefer to move on by seeing McNabb and/or Reid move out, Banner and the rest of the front office have to be certain that, after one of both are gone, the franchise will be in a position to continue to succeed financially, even if it doesn't succeed competitively.

[DrunkBomber]

You'd have to wonder why a team would be willing to give up much, let alone anything that benefits the Eagles for McNabb. Especially with the cap hit they would take.

[eaglesrule4ever]

Mcnabb is not going to be traded who will be the startering quarterback next year kevin kolb is still raw and not any good quarterbacks on the market next year and we probably cant get very much for mcnabb anyway so i think we will see mcnabb agian next year.

[Gobears81]

meh, I don't even want McNabb anymore....

[lostfan]

Originally Posted by Gobears81

meh, I don't even want McNabb anymore....

I was just preparing to say that, almost exactly to the word.

[smeagle]

Originally Posted by DrunkBomber

You'd have to wonder why a team would be willing to give up much, let alone anything that benefits the Eagles for McNabb. Especially with the cap hit they would take.

who would take ?

[Omen]

atlanta for one there dire need of a qb

[Inclulbus]

i know a lot of people write off mcnabb.. but The faster he'd not be a Eagle, the more comfortable i'd be. I know this year hasn't been that great for him.. But no way is he washed up. Him, Westbrook, and a Little bit of L.J has been the only offensive players they've had for a long time, excluding T.O. As I've said before, The Eagles brought T.O. in to help Donovan, other then that.. look at all the WR's he's had to throw too. 4th and 26 Freddie Mitchell. Todd Pinkston. Reggie Brown. Baskett? Curtis? Lewis? I think the only person that could've matched half of what T.O. did would've been Stallworth. Granted it's just my opinion, and isn't at all, life threatning.

[Dougerrrr]

no comment....lol