Is Donovan McNabb a Better Fit for Houston Texans or Chicago Bears?

Where will Donovan McNabb go? Well, two natural options are Chicago and Houston. Both are in contention and have an apparent need at quarterback. 

It needs to be said that Fox Philadelphia is reporting that it's possible that neither will show interest in McNabb. But for the sake or argument, let's say that both are interested. 

If they both claim him, he goes to the Bears. They have the weaker record. Actually, that goes for the entire league. Theoretically, if the Colts claim him, they get him. 

But for the sake of argument, let's go beyond the technical aspect of the NFL waiver wire. Between Chicago and Houston, where is the better fit for McNabb?

Chicago Bears 

Something that any quarterback needs is a good running game. That's certainly true for a quarterback that's past his athletic prime, as McNabb clearly is. The Bears have that in Matt Forte. 

The main drawback, as was reported by the above Fox Philadelphia article, is McNabb's lack of experience in Mike Martz's system.

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McNabb has no experience in Mike Martz's complicated offense in Chicago and McNabb also struggled with new offenses in Washington and Minnesota.

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It's true that McNabb's prime came with a consistent offensive system led by Andy Reid. Martz has a particularly complex offensive system. Given a full training camp, McNabb would probably be okay in it.

Yes, his best athletic days are behind him. Still, with Forte in the backfield, a decent group of receivers on the side and a strong defense, McNabb would be a reasonable fit.

The biggest problem in Chicago is that their offensive line has trouble protecting the quarterback at times. Still, they seem to have devised schemes to minimize those problems.

Ultimately, I don't like this move. He wouldn't be a good option to step into a playoff chase. His greatest value would come after a full camp. By next year, Jay Cutler will be back. So, the Bears aren't a great option.

Houston Texans

This one makes a little more sense. I don't think it's going to happen, but it's a better move if it does. 

With Arian Foster and Ben Tate, the Texans' running attack is strong. When he is forced to pass the ball, he would have a receiving corps led by Andre Johnson and Owen Daniels. Offensively, the edge goes to the Texans.

Defensively, both units are strong, but the slight edge would also go to Houston. 

But where Houston really goes ahead of the Bears is that they have time. The Texans are going to the playoffs. They have a two-game lead in the AFC South and have already beaten their nearest competitor on the road. 

Yes, the Titans and Texans do square off again, but the edge goes to Houston all the way. So, McNabb would have a little more than a month to get used to everything and everyone. In Chicago, he'd be immediately under the gun. Their playoff spot is very much in doubt. 

Ultimately, the more likely destination is Chicago. The better destination is Houston.