Donovan McNabb deserves his freedom.
The quarterback should never see Washington Redskins training camp. He shouldn’t show up in burgundy and gold and pretend things are fine. He shouldn’t endure public pity while waiting for his exit visa.
Unlike defensive linemen Albert Haynesworth, who deserves any purgatory imposed, McNabb earned a clean departure. He didn’t pull a Jay Schroeder and whine when he was benched last season. His agent proved a good marionette, but McNabb kept it classy enough considering the humiliation of watching the final three games.
So here’s the game plan: The Redskins will take a few days between the approval of the labor contract — which is expected later this week — and the start of training camp to gauge trade possibilities. If they can get anything down to a third-string guard, make the deal.
If a trade can’t be triggered, the Redskins should release McNabb. Mouth the usual “we want Donovan to have the best chance possible to catch on elsewhere” and let him go. At worst, tell McNabb to stay home and wait for a trade or his release.
It makes no sense to bring McNabb to camp, much less keep him. Everybody knows he’s not going to play in Washington this season, so why turn training camp into a daily distraction? That’s Haynesworth’s job.
Most likely, the Redskins won’t get anything for McNabb. They shouldn’t make it worse by trying to chase a draft pick from Minnesota to lessen the debacle.
The one-year experiment didn’t work. It didn’t even last a season. No sense in a sequel. Remember “Smokey and the Bandit II” was a stinker.
Coach Mike Shanahan’s credibility was strained last season when he offered multiple excuses for benching McNabb. Offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan has been vilified because of it. All kinds of accusations were made by all three sides. In the end, nobody looked good.
No one will believe anything Shanahan says if McNabb returns. Not one word. Why diminish a supposed fresh start after the labor woes by extending this nonsense?
Neither McNabb nor the Shan?ahans want a second chance. The Redskins are going with John Beck or Rex Grossman or maybe a third party not yet on the roster. Chances are three quarterbacks might see time this season.
McNabb didn’t have a minicamp in the desert for Redskins teammates this year. He worked out with former Philadelphia teammates instead. Shows where his mind is.
McNabb wants to be a mercenary for a decent team. Minnesota is the early favorite, but NFL teams are always looking for a veteran backup. The Vikings might be McNabb’s best chance to start, but at this point he would take the Carolina Panthers.
The recent admission that the Redskins had 10,000 unsold seats shows the fan base is no longer a given. No sense antagonizing the fans further with another misstep.
Free Donovan McNabb.
Examiner columnist Rick Snider has covered local sports since 1978. Read more on Twitter @Snide_Remarks or email [email protected].
