LoyaltyisaCurse
IF AND WHEN HEALTHY...
http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_y...?slug=jc-directsnap033010&prov=yhoo&type=lgns
Quarterback Donovan McNabb(notes) hopes for a detour through Oakland from Philadelphia on the way to Arizona … even if that means trampling Matt Leinart(notes) along the way.
According to two people close to McNabb, the Pro Bowl Philadelphia Eagles quarterback has his sights set on one day playing for the Arizona Cardinals. McNabb, who has made his offseason home in Phoenix, hoped that day would come this season if Philly indeed sends him packing. The Cardinals even inquired with the Eagles about a trade before signing Derek Anderson(notes) to compete with Leinart for Kurt Warner’s(notes) old job.
Now, that day will have to wait until 2011. While Anderson and Leinart combined don’t compare to McNabb, one Cardinals source said the team’s plan at the position is set for this season. After this season, however, much could change, particularly if star wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald(notes) has any say. With Fitzgerald holding the power to void his contract after the 2011 season, don’t underestimate his influence.
But the primary influence, as it usually is with Arizona, revolves around money. Leinart will have to do a lot this season to justify his contract for 2011. Under the terms of the deal he held out to get after being the team’s first-round pick in the 2006 NFL draft, Leinart’s contract takes a huge jump in 2011.
This year, Leinart is scheduled to make $2.485 million in base salary. That’s cheap enough that the Cardinals almost have to give him a chance to prove himself.
In 2011, however, Leinart’s base pay and bonuses jump to at least $12.86 million and could tip the scales at just over $18 million if he does something as simple as make the Pro Bowl (he gets a $5 million escalator for that and based on the fact David Garrard(notes) made it last year, getting to the Pro Bowl ain’t what it used to be).
Furthermore, Leinart’s deal contains a $5.5 million roster bonus that’s due on the first day of the 2011 league year, which is generally some time in early March. That means the Cardinals will have to make an early decision on Leinart’s future.
Or as the aforementioned Cardinals source put it: “Matt has a lot of financial issues riding on this season.”
Enter McNabb, who barring unforeseen development by Leinart, might be a much better investment of that kind of money for the Cardinals in 2011.
“By that point, something like that could definitely happen,” the team source said.
Of course, the possibility of a 2011 lockout blurs a lot of this talk. But from a pure football reasoning, seeing McNabb in a Cardinals uniform in ’11 seems to make a lot of sense. The only thing that could really hold it up is if Oakland, Buffalo or another team that trades for McNabb now decides it’s willing to put the franchise tag on him.
With the franchise number expected to hover somewhere around $20 million by then, such a move will be difficult. Until then, don’t expect McNabb to sign any long-term deals.
“Donovan has plenty of money, he doesn’t need to take it from some team he doesn’t want to play for,” said one of the sources close to him.
McNabb in Arizona makes even more sense if the Cardinals hope to keep Fitzgerald. Under the terms of Fitzgerald’s contract, he can void the final year of his contract, which is 2012. He also can’t be franchised by the Cardinals. Thus, the Cardinals better show Fitzgerald they are fully committed to winning if they expect him to stay.
Like McNabb, money is not going to be the only issue for Fitzgerald by that point. Barring an injury, Fitzgerald is going to hit free agency at age 28 after the 2011 season. He will be able to name his price for any team.
Moreover, he’ll name his terms. Without question, having a good quarterback throwing to him will be one of those terms.
“Larry isn’t stupid like some other wide receivers,” said a source close to Fitzgerald. “He knows he wants to do some really special things in this game. He put up some great numbers even without a great quarterback early in his career, but the team didn’t go anywhere. He knows you need people around you. You don’t do it on your own.
“He’s never going to be with a bad quarterback ever again. Never.”
Quarterback Donovan McNabb(notes) hopes for a detour through Oakland from Philadelphia on the way to Arizona … even if that means trampling Matt Leinart(notes) along the way.
According to two people close to McNabb, the Pro Bowl Philadelphia Eagles quarterback has his sights set on one day playing for the Arizona Cardinals. McNabb, who has made his offseason home in Phoenix, hoped that day would come this season if Philly indeed sends him packing. The Cardinals even inquired with the Eagles about a trade before signing Derek Anderson(notes) to compete with Leinart for Kurt Warner’s(notes) old job.
Now, that day will have to wait until 2011. While Anderson and Leinart combined don’t compare to McNabb, one Cardinals source said the team’s plan at the position is set for this season. After this season, however, much could change, particularly if star wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald(notes) has any say. With Fitzgerald holding the power to void his contract after the 2011 season, don’t underestimate his influence.
But the primary influence, as it usually is with Arizona, revolves around money. Leinart will have to do a lot this season to justify his contract for 2011. Under the terms of the deal he held out to get after being the team’s first-round pick in the 2006 NFL draft, Leinart’s contract takes a huge jump in 2011.
This year, Leinart is scheduled to make $2.485 million in base salary. That’s cheap enough that the Cardinals almost have to give him a chance to prove himself.
In 2011, however, Leinart’s base pay and bonuses jump to at least $12.86 million and could tip the scales at just over $18 million if he does something as simple as make the Pro Bowl (he gets a $5 million escalator for that and based on the fact David Garrard(notes) made it last year, getting to the Pro Bowl ain’t what it used to be).
Furthermore, Leinart’s deal contains a $5.5 million roster bonus that’s due on the first day of the 2011 league year, which is generally some time in early March. That means the Cardinals will have to make an early decision on Leinart’s future.
Or as the aforementioned Cardinals source put it: “Matt has a lot of financial issues riding on this season.”
Enter McNabb, who barring unforeseen development by Leinart, might be a much better investment of that kind of money for the Cardinals in 2011.
“By that point, something like that could definitely happen,” the team source said.
Of course, the possibility of a 2011 lockout blurs a lot of this talk. But from a pure football reasoning, seeing McNabb in a Cardinals uniform in ’11 seems to make a lot of sense. The only thing that could really hold it up is if Oakland, Buffalo or another team that trades for McNabb now decides it’s willing to put the franchise tag on him.
With the franchise number expected to hover somewhere around $20 million by then, such a move will be difficult. Until then, don’t expect McNabb to sign any long-term deals.
“Donovan has plenty of money, he doesn’t need to take it from some team he doesn’t want to play for,” said one of the sources close to him.
McNabb in Arizona makes even more sense if the Cardinals hope to keep Fitzgerald. Under the terms of Fitzgerald’s contract, he can void the final year of his contract, which is 2012. He also can’t be franchised by the Cardinals. Thus, the Cardinals better show Fitzgerald they are fully committed to winning if they expect him to stay.
Like McNabb, money is not going to be the only issue for Fitzgerald by that point. Barring an injury, Fitzgerald is going to hit free agency at age 28 after the 2011 season. He will be able to name his price for any team.
Moreover, he’ll name his terms. Without question, having a good quarterback throwing to him will be one of those terms.
“Larry isn’t stupid like some other wide receivers,” said a source close to Fitzgerald. “He knows he wants to do some really special things in this game. He put up some great numbers even without a great quarterback early in his career, but the team didn’t go anywhere. He knows you need people around you. You don’t do it on your own.
“He’s never going to be with a bad quarterback ever again. Never.”
