Quarterback of future simply is not present
The question was solved Easter night last April. The Redskins shipped draft picks to Philadelphia and received their quarterback of the next few seasons in return, and Donovan McNabb’s new teammates celebrated their good fortune.
Life would be good.
Unless it didn’t work out.
Which it did not.
So one year into Mike Shanahan’s regime, the most important question still hasn’t been answered: Who is the Redskins’ quarterback, now and in the future? The McNabb era is expected to end this offseason after a 13-game run produced more statements by his agent than playoff games.
“Shanahan hasn’t done what he needed to do, which is get the quarterback position stabilized,” one NFL executive said.
The Redskins focused on other aspects of their offense when evaluating the season. The line play improved late in the season, the understanding of the offense grew in general and the running game showed promise.
“We made a lot of progress,” coordinator Kyle Shanahan said.
But quarterbacks power offenses, and the Redskins have uncertainty at this position.
They will try to trade McNabb, who signed an extension in November that could cost another team approximately $15 million next season. To increase McNabb’s value, he would have to be willing to restructure his contract. If he does, then the Redskins might be able to get a fourth-round pick in return, one NFL executive said.
The good news for Washington is that there aren’t many attractive options for other teams, so McNabb might be in more demand. The bad news is the Redskins also need a quarterback and there aren’t many attractive options.
There’s Rex Grossman, who said Monday, “I feel I have another level I can reach, and I believe they think so, too. I’m coming into the prime of my career.”
But did Grossman prove in his three starts — seven touchdowns, seven turnovers — that others should share that opinion?
“He’s a bullpen guy,” an NFL source said.
Michael Vick is a free agent, but it’s hard to imagine him leaving Philadelphia. Matt Hasselbeck is 35 and has 34 touchdowns to 44 interceptions the past three years combined. Baltimore’s Marc Bulger is 33, but in his last 35 starts with St. Louis he threw 26 touchdowns to 34 interceptions. If nothing else, former Rams defensive coordinator Jim Haslett can offer a good scouting report on Bulger.
Denver reportedly wants to trade Kyle Orton, but he’s now on a second team (along with Chicago) that has deemed him as not being the answer, partly because of injuries.
Which leads the Redskins to the draft, where they pick 10th overall. The problem is, three quarterbacks — Stanford’s Andrew Luck, Auburn’s Cam Newton and Washington’s Jake Locker — could be gone before the Redskins choose.
The executive called the athletic but inconsistent Locker a good fit with Shanahan. He compared him to Detroit’s Matthew Stafford but more athletic.
“That’s his prototype,” he said. “He can win with that guy.”
If Shanahan can get him, that is. Regardless, he needs to find somebody.
“When you hire Mike, that’s what you’re hiring: Fix my offense and stabilize the QB position,” the executive said. “That’s what he was brought in to do. I guarantee that’ll be the No. 1 goal.”
