Friday, December 17, 2010

Well, They Did It

The Redskins benched Donovan McNabb in favor of Rex Grossman. While my initial reaction was disbelief, a few hours removed and it no longer really surprises me. The situation after the Detroit game made it clear Mike Shanahan does not trust McNabb. Why he believes Grossman is a better option though is beyond most observers. There is one possibility though: Shanahan's son, Kyle, coached Grossman last year in Houston, and maybe he knows something we don't. But there is nothing in Grossman's repertoire that should indicate he's a serviceable NFL quarterback.

The other thing that is 99% guaranteed at this point is that Donovan McNabb is not going to be with the Redskins next year. They can buy out his contract for $3.5 million. And since it is unlikely Grossman or John Beck will impress, there is something else that will come out of this. (But first off, it just came out that after the Dallas game, McNabb will be relegated to the emergency quarterback; just another reason to think he's done in the District.)

The Redskins are drafting a quarterback. I only fear that they will pick a bust. One possibility is Washington QB Jake Locker. This would be bad. Locker as a senior completed 56.6% of his passes. Studies have shown that completion percentage (along with games started) is the top predictor for success in the NFL. Washington will have a top 10 pick, and Locker is a mid first rounder to most, but also the second best QB in the draft according to the scouts. It would nevertheless be a Redskins-type move to pick him.

One other thing: I did not like the McNabb trade when it happened. It was another "Redskins-type move." That said, he's the only real option the Redskins have at QB--if they want to win. But they may want to see what they have in Grossman and Beck. But why would you make this move before the Cowboys game, since that game is always a must-win, and McNabb gives you the best chance of winning? Well, it's actually pretty obvious: they don't think he gives them the best chance of winning. Which just tells me how shaky Shanahan's decisions in his first year in D.C. have been.

If all this tells all you is that the Redskins are a mess, there's a reason for that: they are.

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