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Redskins have long-term concerns about Donovan McNabb

interns Contributor
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I think the Redskins have long-term questions about Donovan McNabb’s work ethic, mechanics, footwork and ability to play well in the clutch. That’s why coach Mike Shanahan has spent the past few days explaining and re-explaining why he pulled McNabb from the final minutes of Sunday’s game against Detroit, with the outcome still very much in doubt.

“The cardiovascular endurance that it takes to run a two-minute, going all the way down with no timeouts, calling plays, it’s just not easy,” is one of the more interesting ways Shanahan has put it. “If I thought it was the best situation to do, then Donovan would have run the two-minute offense.”

I didn’t hear this while doing Sirius Radio this morning, but I read it on profootballtalk.com. It’s a quote from Tim Hasselbeck, the former Eagles backup, who was on the Mike and Mike show on ESPN radio this morning. “One of the things that drove them crazy in Philadelphia was the lack of tempo at which [McNabb] practiced … It was always something where you’re leaving the quarterback meeting and it would be, ‘Hey, listen, the head man wants a little more tempo today.’ Nearly every single day. That’s been the deal with Donovan McNabb. I know exactly what Mike Shanahan is talking about.”

What do I see happening with McNabb going forward? I see maybe a one-year deal to play there in 2011 — if McNabb would be willing (doubtful) and if the Redskins can’t find a quarterback they like better.

The Redskins were among the teams that scouted the Washington-Stanford game Saturday in Seattle. I don’t want to make too much of that, but with Andrew Luck and Jake Locker as first-round prospects, it’s interesting, and perhaps telling (perhaps, I stress), that a team with Donovan McNabb in-house would be scouting a game with two quarterbacks likely to go high in the April draft.

Full story: Redskins have long-term concerns about Donovan McNabb – Peter King – SI.com.