Donovan McNabb: Washington Redskins Should Not Pick Up the QB Again

Donovan McNabb.  You remember him, right?  Sure you do.  He was in D.C. for about six hours—okay, a year.  Time is relative when you're a Redskins fan and you eat, sleep and breathe wasted potential.  

McNabb arrived in D.C. under the usual banner of "revival" and being "re-energized."  Unfortunately, his exodus out of the capital lacked the same regalia.  

So, as the Vikings issued a waiver for McNabb after less than a season, the eyeballs shifted back to Washington.  I'll admit that it makes sense for the Redskins to be thrown into the mix as potential beneficiaries of the erstwhile Vikings QB.  He's available, we have a need and Snyder has deep pockets.  

While that's all well and good, I say sell.  

I'm not buying McNabb, even as a stopgap to finish out the season.  At age 35, Donovan isn't the young, agile player he once was.  In the last two years he's endured a rough parting with the Eagles, a sordid mess of a departure from D.C. and now he's leaving Minnesota two-thirds of the way through the season.  

Noticing a pattern?

McNabb has failed to capitalize on his last two opportunities.  End of story.  What good would it do for him to return to Shanahan's house where a lot of sour feelings may still be left on the table?  This is a Redskins team trying to fight it out for a .500 season; any added media distractions would be ill-advised.

Also, I'm all for the idea of McNabb mentoring a younger, up-and-coming quarterback.  Oh, wait—didn't we just see that scenario in Minnesota?  Yep, we sure did.  That didn't work either.  

Christian Ponder was promoted only a few games into the season leaving Donovan McNabb stewing on the sideline, trying not to seem confused.  

Rex Grossman and John Beck do not need a mentor.  They need analyst positions with ESPN and CBS.  Bringing Donovan McNabb back into D.C. would further agitate an already-blundered situation at the quarterback position in Washington.  The Redskins need to focus and prepare to throw their all into the next five games.  

Looking at McNabb would be the same as looking backwards.  Yes, hindsight is 20/20 and can be effective in creating perspective.  If you're the Redskins, though, you'd like to part ways with a lot of what's happened in recent years.    

I like Donovan McNabb.  He was a great player for many years who seemed to be a genuinely gifted leader.  I've even met him, and I'm proud to tell you he is a nice guy.  But none of this changes the fact that he is clearly not the player he was three years ago.  

The Redskins need to focus on finishing out the season with what they currently have going into the offseason.  I have no problem with McNabb wanting to continue playing.  If he truly has the desire, there's sure to be a team out there willing to throw down on a one-year contract.  It just won't be the Redskins.  Washington has played staging ground for failed designs too many times in the past.   

It's bad enough remembering McNabb's one botched year in Washington.  I can't imagine what a second go-around would feel like.