Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Saints Nation: McNabb is Headed to Skins, but Who's More Stupid?

I'm actually uncertain what team is more idiotic, Eagles or Redskins? Trading a franchise QB to your bitter enemy, rival, and divisional opponent is the cardinal sin in the NFL. The Eagles just made a team they are in direct competition with better. Few things could be more difficult to understand. On the flip side, the Redskins have had a recent history of mediocrity and they are just continuing down that path. Their blueprint for "success" in the Snyder era, or lack thereof, has been to mortgage their future for older and established NFL veterans. The problem is that the countless number of overpaid veterans they land quickly fizzle out and disappoint them, and they have no crop of young players which cripples their depth.

McNabb was shipped away for the Redskins' second round pick, and a lower pick next year. One common misconception of NFL fans is that 2nd round picks are all worth the same. I think there's mental picture when you hear "2nd round pick", that you're getting a decent prospect... but let's make no mistake, the Saints' 2nd round pick will be for the 64th player in the draft. This pick is 37th. While both picks fall into the "2nd round", there's a pretty major difference there. Granted, one could argue that the Redskins' ability to scout prospects is so bad they'd make a bad pick at 37th overall anyway. Short term, this helps the Redskins for maybe a couple seasons, but once again it sets them back financially and mortgages their future. You think they would've learned by now.

Granted Brees, Sharper and Vilma were all terrific pickups by the Saints, but consider the core of their foundation: Marques Colston, Pierre Thomas, Jahri Evans, Carl Nicks, Roman Harper, Will Smith, Sedrick Ellis, Tracy Porter... all young players drafted by the Saints. Together they've built a SuperBowl champion as the backbone of the franchise. The Redskins have almost no players like that. Some of their best players? Clinton Portis, Albert Haynesworth, McNabb, Satana Moss, Antwaan Randle El, Andre Carter, London Fletcher, DeAngelo Hall... These are all players they were held at ransom to acquire, through massive bonuses and/or draft picks. You tell me which way of doing business has made for the better product on the field. I bet the Redskins would trade their entire roster for the Saints' tomorrow. This McNabb acquisition embodies the stupid business model they've been failing with for years.

So who's more stupid, the Eagles or the Redskins?