Philadelphia Eagles: 5 Reasons Why Donovan McNabb Should Be the Backup

I know the idea of bringing Donovan McNabb back to Philly as a backup sounds ridiculous, but when you take a step back from the situation, it might not be that far-fetched.

McNabb is getting older, and many of the teams that were in the hunt for him last year were probably put off by his poor play in Washington.

He is still a solid quarterback, and if he wants to concentrate on getting back to a starting job, maybe dealing with Andy Reid would bring the best out of him.

McNabb will have to take a serious pay decrease, but maybe the experience will make him want to start that much more.

McNabb is a good quarterback, and a quick pit stop in Philadelphia may be the best thing for both parties.

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Good Chance He Plays

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PHILADELPHIA, PA - JANUARY 09: Michael Vick #7 of the Philadelphia Eagles tries to avoid the tackle of Clay Matthews #52 of the Green Bay Packers during the 2011 NFC wild card playoff game at Lincoln Financial Field on January 9, 2011 in Philadelphia, Pe

Mike Vick is an incredibly tough player that still has a problem of fighting for extra yards rather than protecting himself.

With that mindset, Vick will be vulnerable to injuries like the ones he suffered this year.

The main argument against this move would be that McNabb would start in Arizona or Minnesota but he would be a backup in Philadelphia.

The idea of him backing up Mike Vick leaves the very real possibility that on any play, McNabb will become the starter.

The possibilities of him becoming the starter in Philadelphia have to be as high or higher than him being a starter on a winning team.

I think it would be safe for McNabb to come here, slide in when necessary and look good in his opportunities. Then next year, he could start in Arizona.

Less Pressure

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PHILADELPHIA - AUGUST 27: Donovan McNabb #5, Michael Vick #7, and Kevin Kolb #4 of the Philadelphia Eagles look on from the sidelines against the Jacksonville Jaguars on August 27, 2009 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by

Wherever McNabb goes, he will have a lot asked of him from any team that signs him.

The Eagles offer the least stressful position a veteran quarterback could ever ask for.

McNabb would come here as a backup, so all the pressure that befalls a quarterback in the NFL would fall on to Vick’s shoulders.

Even if McNabb is thrown into play, the people of Philadelphia really don’t trust his play anymore, so anything positive would be a surprise.

Donovan McNabb could be a quiet leader in the locker room that can help keep the room loose in tough situations. For the people who questioned his on-the-field leadership, you can’t question his ability to keep a team light in the locker room.

The Eagles can let Vick lead the team vocally on the field while McNabb keeps the team light on the sideline.

System Familiarity

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PHILADELPHIA - DECEMBER 20: Donovan McNabb #5 of the Philadelphia Eagles rushes on his way to a touchdown against the San Francisco 49ers at Lincoln Financial Field on December 20, 2009 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images)

This is the most obvious of all the reasons, but the truth is it’s a very big deal.

As an older player, McNabb would be forced to learn a new system for the first time in his NFL life.

The proposition of a new system doesn’t seems that daunting, but for an older quarterback, the idea of breaking tendencies you have carried with you your whole career can be scary.

McNabb was designed for Andy Reid’s system, and if a team doesn’t run the West Coast offense, I fear McNabb will suffer greatly.

We all saw how he flourished in Washington.

The Reid-McNabb Love Connection

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PHILADELPHIA - NOVEMBER 29: Donovan McNabb #5 of the Philadelphia Eagles stands with Head Coach Andy Reid from the sidelines against the Washington Redskins during their game at Lincoln Financial Field on November 29, 2009 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Do you believe in true love?

If you love something, let it go, and it will always come back.

Let’s face facts: McNabb trusts Reid and always has viewed him as a close ally.  No matter how it looked in the media, McNabb felt like Reid protected him, and he revered him.

Reid handpicked and groomed McNabb, and Reid’s success is directly correlated with McNabb’s career to this point.

Reid might go out on a limb one more time for McNabb and bring him in as a backup IF McNabb agrees to a big pay cut or an incentive-laden contract.

You know they would fight for each other.

Best Chance of Winning a Super Bowl

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Philadelphia Eagle's QB Donovan McNabb almost gets sacked by New England Patriot Tedy Bruschi during the first quarter of Super Bowl XXXIX between the Philadelphia Eagles and the New England Patriots at Alltel Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida on February

McNabb won’t be getting signed this offseason by a team knocking on the Super Bowl’s door unless he agrees to become a backup.

As an aging quarterback, McNabb has to see the writing on the wall and realize that if he wants to win, it may be in a reserve role.

The Eagles may not be ready to win yet, but if the front office goes hard at the free agency market and drafts well again, it might be soon. 

The team wants to win in the window of opportunity that Mike Vick offers, and McNabb is one of the best insurance policies for building a win-this-year team.

If McNabb wants to win, he’ll come to Philadelphia and help the team any way he can. If he wants to suck his way into retirement, Tennessee awaits.