The rumored deal has major ramifications out west.
- McNabb’s reaction to possibly working for Al Davis. Image by Getty Images via Daylife
Rumors have been circulating (primarily via Adam Schefter, former Denver Post beat writer now covering the NFL for ESPN) that the Oakland Raiders have emerged as a front-runner in the suddenly public race for Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb. Once (and possibly still) the franchise player for Philadelphia, and the player who was recently dubbed as “my man” for the starting quarterback position by head coach Andy Reid, suddenly finds himself the center of a league-wide speculation sweepstakes. As we have seen in the past, this sort of widespread rumoring almost always ends with a deal. Recall the Jay Cutler situation – the deal to get Matt Cassel fell through, and once it became public reconciliation between a spurned player and his employer is rare.
McNabb has stated he wants to stay in Philadelphia, but should he get moved he prefers the Vikings. (What is it with aging quarterbacks and the Vikings, anyhow?) But the big rumor is that the Oakland Raiders, who have never been scared of aging players or high-dollar contracts, are looking to make the move and bring McNabb to the west coast. McNabb, who lives in Arizona, would probably welcome the return to the west. But what would that mean for the rest of the AFC West should the McNabb deal get done?
First – it means the Raiders will instantly climb out of the cellar and need to be taken seriously. Without taking the other teams in the division into account (which we will do momentarily), adding McNabb to the Raiders means they can finally take advantage of speed. It means that McNabb, with a strong arm, can heave the ball down the field and expect someone to catch it. It means that a team with an already solid and improving defense, while probably not serious championship contenders, must at least be taken seriously in wild card discussions. It means the Chargers will have to hold off two teams for the division, not just one.
For the Broncos – (and lets be honest here for a second: if they hadn’t just done the Quinn deal, wouldn’t you love to see McNabb on our own sidelines? The guy can run, he can throw, but alas, probably wouldn’t put up with the McDaniels way of doing business. Anyhow, I digress) – it means that they are not the lone pursuer of the Chargers. It means that twice a year, the corners will be put to the test. It means that a mediocre pass rush isn’t sufficient. And ultimately, it means there is one more team in the wild card hunt.
For the Chiefs, it means one more year in the cellars. The Chiefs are square in a rebuilding process, and this is not the year they emerge. They seem to be building for a solid future. I know the mantra in the NFL is “win now”, but the Chiefs fans should be patient, as Scott Pioli is slowly putting together a solid franchise. It’s the polar opposite of the current Raiders M.O., and in my opinion will be better for the long term health of the Kansas City franchise.
For the Chargers, it means an even messier division. Two slightly above average teams and one punching bag is better competition than they’ve faced in a while. The Chargers essentially have not improved, unless you’re an “addition by subtraction” kind of guy. They are the same team minus their former start running back, and a few defensive stalwarts. The Chargers strangle-hold on the division is over, and though they still remain the favorites, either Denver or a McNabb-led Oakland team could win enough games, and get enough breaks to win the crown in 2010.
They say they are nowhere close to getting the deal done, and I’m not convinced it will happen, but if it does, it makes for a major shakeup in the AFC West.
