Could Donovan McNabb Be In Cleveland’s Future?
While waiting for weather to warm up here in Ohio, I couldn’t help thinking about how to fix the Cleveland Browns quarterback position. After looking at the top quarterbacks in the upcoming NFL draft, I had another thought. Trade.
With Tom Heckert now the Browns new GM, could Donovan McNabb be coming as well? It may not be that far fetched. Heckert was hired by the Browns after spending the last eight seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles and knows McNabb well. It is thought that Andy Reid may be willing to trade either Kevin Kolb or McNabb. With Kolb being younger and showing promise, he might be the choice to stay. McNabb is 33 but is still playing well.
I can’t help but imagine how Cleveland’s offense would look with McNabb at QB. The Browns rushed for an average of 228 yards a game in their four game winning streak to end the season. They accomplished that with no threat of a passing game. McNabb, coupled with that running game, is an awesome thought.
In Philadelphia, Donovan never had much of a running game. He was forced to do way more than he would in Cleveland. I know Holmgren and Heckert loves the pass but Mangini is still the coach so expect the Browns to run a lot more than the Eagles do. I think McNabb would flourish in such an offense.
If Cleveland were to bring in McNabb, it would allow Quinn to sit and continue to learn from a very experienced QB. If the Browns decide they would rather trade Quinn, they could select a Tony Pike or a Dan LeFevour in the middle rounds of the draft to learn from McNabb.
As to what it would cost the Browns in a trade for McNabb, I don’t know. I’m sure it would not be a first round pick. Maybe a second or third plus one of our QBs? I bet Tom Heckert knows.
I hope this never happens because we will be getting McNabb at the same point we got Jamal Lewis — maybe one good year.
He is not worth a 2nd. I would rather draft a QB with the 2nd instead but actually with Holmgren here that would be too high to
pick a QB.
If it is a 3rd and we get rid of Anderson you have my attention.
I don’t know enough about Kolb to comment.
Dan, thanks for your comments. You cannot compare a running back to a quarterback, QBs generally have longer careers than do RBs.
I’ll take McNabb and draft a QB to develop any day over taking a shot on a rookie to come in and play right away.
McNabb should still have a few productive years left and would give the Browns time to develop someone.
As for Kolb, I think the Eagles see him as their QB of the future, which may come next year.