Gridiron Experts

How Does McNabb Trade Affect Fantasy Football

Enough already, McNabb to the Redskins, we get it.

Everyone was shocked. We’ve all read articles on who people think got the better half of the deal. Whether it’s ex-players who knew McNabb or watched him play, or unprofessional know it all’s like Brian Baldinger who love to hear themselves talk, the deal is done and only time will tell who came out ahead.

We understand that Eagles fans are either bummed with the loss or very excited about now becoming one of the youngest teams in the league (?), but if you’re not fan of either of these NFC East teams, your primary concern may lay elsewhere…like Fantasy Football.

What does this trade mean for fantasy football owners who are in keeper leagues are the world?

Gridiron Experts is going to try and move past the drawn out scenarios in which Donovan McNabb wins a Super Bowl with the team across the street, and look at how this could affect fantasy players.

Donovan McNabb

At first, some fantasy owners may see the trade of Donovan McNabb from a team with speedy young receivers to a team built around a running game as a step back. But if you really analyze how Mike Shanahan uses his quarterbacks you may change your mind.

The Eagles don’t run the ball, and because of that defenses are constantly prepared for the big play or at least the pass. Opposing coaches love seeing the Eagles in 3^rd and short situations as history has shown the Birds are clueless at picking up those 2-3 yards for a first down. McNabb has made a living with the big strike and has always found a way to buy time and create something out of nothing.

In Washington, the workload for McNabb should be reduced but the yardage could increase. A balanced offensive attack is the most underrated offensive strategy anyone can have in the NFL. The Redskins will use their trio of running backs to keep defenses guessing with the classic Shanahan running game. With McNabb under center, the big strike play action pass is …Continue reading How Does McNabb Trade Affect Fantasy Football

What Does Mike Shanahan Mean For McNabb?

Redskins head coach Mike Shanahan is known around the league as a top talent when it comes to the development of running backs. He’s been responsible for the success of some talented players over the last decade: Terrell Davis, Mike Anderson, Olandis Gary, Clinton Portis, Reuben Droughns, and Tatum Bell. This year he takes the reigns as Washington’s head coach with a terrifying trio of running backs Clinton Portis, Larry Johnson, and Willie Parker.  With newly acquired quarter back Donovan McNabb at the helm some fans may expect to see a vibrant pass happy Redskin offense, however Dan Snyder didn’t invest all of his money at the RB position to watch them drink Gatorade on the pine.

Shanahan has historically bolstered a run first west coast offense; it will likely be no different in Washington which could affect the way in which Donovan McNabb performs in a Skins uniform. Don’t be surprised to see McNabb play an almost “Farvian” like role with his new team (15-20 pass attempts/game).

While in Philadelphia McNabb had a stellar run game with Brian Westbrook, although the Eagles …Continue reading What Does Mike Shanahan Mean For McNabb?

NFL NEWS & RUMORS

• Rams release Marc Bulger on Monday. Someone should tell Sam Brafford he needs to get himself a real estate agent in the St.Louis area because this is a slam dunk. Bulger was scheduled to make $8.5 million next season and was never expected to be with the team, heading into training camp.

• The Seahawks and Detroit Lions made a few trades today: Seattle sent guard Rob Sims to Detroit for a fifth-round draft pick. Sims was a 4th round pick for the Seahawks back in 2006 and started 14 games for Seattle last year. The Lions also traded away Robert Henderson for a 7th round draft pick in this years draft.
• Defensive lineman Anthony Hargrove has signed his tender offer, and the team announced that he’ll be back in New Orleans in 2010.
• NFL Network’s Jason La Canfora reported that the Redskins already have buyers remorse after signing Albert Haynesworth to such a huge contact. Rumors were that the big man was on the table when McNabb trade talks were commencing. Eagles had no interest.
• We had DT Jared Odrick high on our draft boards but not as high as the Cleveland Browns. PFT.com is reporting there is a lot of love for the big man in Clev-town
• Tim Tebow Signs A Deal With Nike

Shocked…to say the least.

Donovan McNabb was traded to a division rival the Washington Redskins on Sunday.

The trade will not break McNabb free from the Eagles completely though, as now he will get to face his old team twice a year, but in a new jersey color.

Most Philadelphia Eagle fans have been wanting to see a change for years with either McNabb leaving town, Reid going, or both, but this move may sting if the Kevin Kolb project doesn’t turn out. Or if now Kolb demands huge starter money and isn’t much better.

Trading McNabb now was the smart business move as they had get something while he was still under contract, but trading him to a rival in the same division makes no sense.

Philadelphia will receive the No. 37 overall pick in the 2010 draft and either a third or fourth round pick in 2011 for the 6 time Pro Bowler.

Personally I think the Eagles didn’t get as much as they could have with McNabb and should have waited to the start of the NFL Draft. The Eagles are now a re-building team and should see a drop in their Super Bowl Odds in Vegas futures overnight.

Kolb is essentially a rookie, with only two starts to his name, along with 2nd year running back -LeSean McCoy taking over for Westbrook. DeSean Jackson, Maclin, Avant and Celek are also a very young crop of players, which will no doubt be a monster power house in a few years, but I don’t see success overnight.

McNabb on the other hand is headed to a team that could only string together 4 wins in 2009, and has a bad O-Line. New coach Mike Shanahan is known for his running game and will love the option of having a rocket arm that Donovan possesses. The same can be said for McNabb, as he has always been apart of a pass happy offense, something that many believe to be a bad an unbalanced strategy, the change could help him.

Of coarse McNabb the classy guy he is had this to say: “I’m really excited about my future with the Washington Redskins,” McNabb said in a statement. “I’m eager to work with coach Shanahan. He’s been a very successful coach with a couple of Super Bowl victories on his resume. While it’s been my goal to win a Super Bowl in Philadelphia, we came up short. I enjoyed my 11 years here and we shared a lot more good times than bad.”

The Offer Has Been Made: McNabb To The Rams?
This could be another ugly rumor, but as it stands now Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer has reported that the Philadelphia Eagles “Have an offer on the table”. The Rams are offering their 2nd round pick (No. 33 selection in the draft), in exchange for McNabb and the best defensive player available, which is now being rumored to be safety O.J. Atogwe.

McLane writes that McNabb would be willing to go to St. Louis with a contract extension, and that a trade could happen quickly. Although, this goes against everything McNabb has recently wrote on his site Yardbarker:

“I was asked to respond to statements made at the NFL owners meetings that the Eagles would entertain offers to trade any of their three QBs. Here is my response:
“My position hasn’t changed. I’ve said all along that I would like to win a Super Bowl and finish my career in Philadelphia.
“I understand the situation well and just hope whichever direction the Eagles decide to go in, they do it quickly. I think that would be best for me, Kevin, Michael, the Eagles, and any other teams involved. No matter what happens, I’ve already begun preparing to have an outstanding season in 2010.” -Donovan McNabb.

This is getting out of control, Andy Reid is playing with fire. We had mentioned that a move that is dragged out not only losses value from teams giving up in the situation (Seahawks, Browns) but it paints a messy picture for the start of a new season. If Philly doesn’t make a move fast the 3 QB’s are going to start to get ticked off and begin to vent to the media. Reading McNabbs latest post has a hint of anger that he just wants a trade to go down, no matter who it is. Remember, this isn’t like trading a guy in Madden, these are people and have to pick up and move to a new city, not to mention get their hands on the new playbook ASAP. The longer the Eagles wait, the less they’ll get in return

[**UPDATED**]

Earlier we (and just about everybody else) reported that Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer had stated that he had an inside source on McNabb on his way to the Rams….what do you know, another rumor.

Per Bernie Miklasz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Rams G.M. Billy Devaney says that report of a trade is “[a]bsolutely false” and “utterly ridiculous.”

Thoughts on New Overtime Rule Change

Excuse me for not freaking out and going into a mad spiral rant about a minor NFL overtime change that occurs only in the playoffs, as I really don’t care.

The reaction to this overtime rule change is surprisingly controversial. People are digging up old wounds to games lost over the years and adding the “what if” reasoning to it.

Better yet people are taking a little away from the recent win from the New Orleans Saints after beating the Vikings in the playoffs, which is totally ludicrous. I have seen the rule change be called the “Favre rule” giving credit to the fact it was made to cradle the ego of number 4’s recent bonehead play.

I personally understand the change and don’t see it as that big of a deal. With NFL kickers never missing field goals due to leg strength, more accuracy it makes sense that getting into field goal range should not be the deciding factor in a tight contest

The hard work over at Profootball talk have many articles devoted to the possible winning scenarios including: Nine-point overtime win is possible under new rules and a history lesson to which overtime was starter…”yeah”

Please somebody send a text to Donovan McNabb about the rule change, as overtime already eludes him

• Will the McNabb trade rumors ever end…No
  The St .Louis Rams are most likely going to be the team that gets themselves a new quarterback this offseason, whether it be threw the draft or threw a trade. And while many thought the perfect fit was Mike Vick to St.Louis rumors are now surfacing on McNabb to the Rams.
  Bryan Burwell of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports, more than one well-informed source as said the Rams have had intense internal conversations about trading for Pro Bowler Donovan McNabb.
  Odds are this is 100% garbage, and more of a rumor than a source, but either way it has to be put out there. The Rams wouldn’t trade the first overall pick for McNabb but could arrange a trade to move down in the draft, thereby gaining picks worthy of a deal for Philadelphia. To be honest this sounds like a long shot… [UPDATE] Since I first posted this a comment from the source has come forward to say he miss-spoke,way to go: read here

• Mike Vick Wants to be a Panther
  Good for him, Mike Vick should be happy to be a quarterback. With comments to the media about wanting to go to a specific team only adds more of a headache to make it happen. Vick should be happy to get a starting gig anywhere and needs to remain quit for the time being.
  “If I could play for any team in the league, it would probably be two teams, but if I had to pick one, it would probably be the Carolina Panthers,” Vick said, via Charles Chandler of the Charlotte Observer. adding: ”Well, you know, it’s close to home,” Vick said. “I like the uniforms. You get to play against Atlanta twice a year. Ain’t nothing better than playing against your former team, right? So, yeah, that would be a good look, it would be a good look.”…..he likes the uniforms? really?….what are you a girl?

• Taylor Mays Almost Ran Back in Time
  Former USC Safety Taylor Mays ran an amazing 40-time Tuesday morning at the NFL scouting combine. Taylors unofficial time was 4.24 seconds.
  His stock has now gone threw the roof, Taylor who was seen as a bigger more physical DB standing tall at 6’3 230 lb, has just opened the eyes of everyone to the possiblity of not only having a guy that can knock helmets off, but can run toe to toe with the fastest receivers in the league.

Eagles Strong Even Without McNabb

In week 2 the Eagles may not “Brees” through the Saints like they did through the Panthers. The word out of Philadelphia is that Kevin Kolb will be starting in place of Donovan McNabb if he is unable to play on Sunday due to his broken rib. The players and coaching staff in Philadelphia have expressed their confidence in Kolb getting the start, but not everyone feels this way, especially Philly fans.

Rightfully so, Kolb has not been too impressive in his regular season performances. Last year Kolb was only called in for the second half of the Ravens game in which McNabb was benched, or if a game was clinched and they wanted to give him some snaps for experience.  Whatever his reasons may have been for being called on, in 34 pass attempts Kolb has thrown four interceptions and only completed 50 percent of these passes. If he does throw up a stinker don’t be surprised to see the recently re-acquired Jeff Garcia clip up the chinstrap and trot onto the field.

Kolb himself on the other hand is rather confident that he will do fine on game day and believes he has a more firm grip on the offense now and at game time. “I think I pressed too much, I tried to show everyone I was ready, you can’t press as a quarterback. That’s in the forefront of my mind: relax and play smooth. Let the guys we have out there make plays.”

Kolb has it correct, in order for the Eagles to keep up against the Saints this weekend, the players the Eagles do have on the field have to make plays. Kolb needs to get the ball into the hands of Brian Westbrook early and often. The most important key to victory in this game is keeping the Saint’s powerhouse offense off of the field. …Continue reading Eagles Strong Even Without McNabb