Skins Say Goodbye to Lockout, McNabb, Haynesworth
With the NFL lockout officially in the rear view, teams were allowed to begin their off-season that was supposed to start months ago. On Wednesday, the first “real” day of the off-season and the start of free agency, every team in the NFL that needed to get something done began to set deals in motion. The Washington Redskins were no exception.
The first deal reported was that Donovan McNabb was going to be dealt to the Minnesota Vikings. That trade is in fact happening. McNabb, last season’s week one starter and leading passer for the Skins, is being traded to the Vikings for a sixth round pick in the 2012 draft and a conditional sixth round pick in the 2013 draft. The soon to be 35 year old quarterback is a former second overall pick out of Syracuse in 1999 and led the Philadelphia Eagles to numerous NFC Championship games and a Super Bowl during his tenure in Philly. His lone season in DC saw mediocre numbers for a quarterback of his talents. He threw for 3,377 yards, 14 touchdowns, 15 interceptions and carried a QB rating of 77.1 (well below his career average of 85.7).
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While those who follow the Redskins knew it was imminent that McNabb was on his way out, this trade makes it official. The rest of the Skins’ quarterback situation is filled with uncertainty. John Beck is being billed as “the man” in DC, and if they re-sign Rex Grossman, the starter for the latter end of last season, they are the top two spots on the depth chart. For the casual fan, that’s not a lot to be happy about.
The deal that broke just recently wasn’t much of a shocker, just a matter of time. In a trade that got the Redskins a fifth round pick in the 2013 draft, Washington sent troubled defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth to the New England Patriots. Haynesworth only played in eight games last season, and in those games, no one saw the talent that was apparently worth over $100 million. Even had he played a full 16 game season, his numbers still would have been the lowest he’d have recorded since in first seasons in Tennessee. With Haynesworth out of the locker room, hopefully that can free the up some of the tension that was always surrounding him and head coach Mike Shanahan.
The Redskins open their pre-season on August 12, at home, against the reigning AFC champions, the Pittsburgh Steelers. Washington’s first regular season game is also at home, on September 11 against one of their NFC East rivals, the New York Giants.
By Matthew Dagen
ProFootball-fans.com Washington Redskins Correspondent