Donovan McNabb experiment did not work out as planned. After a 5-5 start the Redskins lost five of their last six to finish last in the East and enter the offseason with a plethora of question marks. Daniel Snyder extended McNabb for five years to the tune of $70 million but put an out clause in the contract that would only make Snyder liable to pay McNabb just under four million in the event that they trade him or cut him before the start of the 2011 season. Judging by Mike Shanahan’s decision to bench a healthy McNabb for the final three games of the season in favor of Rex Grossman, it doesn’t look like he will be cashing any paychecks from the Skins in ’11.
The Skins’ problems don’t start and end with the 12 year vet out of
Quarterback: Even if the Redskins miraculously decide to keep McNabb, he will be 35 in November and his best playing days are clearly behind him. The more likely scenario will see Grossman as the stopgap signal caller with Shanahan setting his sites on picking up a QB via trade or free agency (another Eagles QB perhaps) or selecting one of the top two prospects in the draft. The reigning Heisman trophy winner Cam Newton is the wild card and could be exactly what Shanahan needs to install his run first, run often offense.
Wide Receiver: Santana Moss had an unbelievable year and was possibly the biggest Pro Bowl snub in the league. Anthony Armstrong had his moments as well, showing his speed and capability of being a deep threat. That being said
Defensive End/Tackle: Snyder might as well have flushed that $100 million that he gave Haynesworth down the toilet. He has been an absolute nightmare since signing his record breaking deal in 2009 and his selfishness finally boiled over this season in the form of extremely limited playing time and a four game suspension to conceivably end his brief stint in the nation’s capital. Haynesworth’s absence may have directly led to the team’s poor defensive performance in 2010 but his counterparts on the d-line sure didn’t help matters. The Skins may be in luck however because defensive end may be the deepest talent pool in the draft. If Jones isn’t available at ten and Shanahan doesn’t see the value in Newton or Gabbert; Alabama’s Marcell Dareus, Cal’s Cameron Jordan or North Carolina’s Robert Quinn would all be solid selections and immediate contributors along Washington’s defensive front.