[h2]Why aren’t the 49ers actively chasing McNabb? They’re not as hungry as Al Davis[/h2]
Posted by
Tim Kawakami on March 26th, 2010 at 9:08 am | Categorized as
49ers,
Columns,
NFL,
Raiders
*
Straight from this morning’s paper, plus a few toppers…
-First, I apologize for some of the duplication from the last blogitem–I didn’t know I was going to write a column on the same issue andeven if I did, the McNabb storyline is good enough that repeating a fewideas doesn’t seem like a terrible offense.
Everything is in play with McNabb: The rumor obviously touches on AlDavis’ go-for-it mentality, stirs thoughts about JaMarcus Russell’snon-development, affects Tom Cable, evokes Jed York’s ownershipdecisions, Alex Smith’s hold on his job, Mike Singletary’s thoughts…
Even if McNabb never arrives in the Bay Area or comes close, it’s a Raiders/49ers chatter bonanza.
-There are two recent reports on the McNabb front:
1) If they’re going to trade him,
the Eagles apparently want a top-42 pick in this year’s draft.
Sounds like what Andy Reid really wants is a pick at the top of the2nd round because the 2nd round now will take place a day after Round1, so the teams sitting at the top of 2 can bargain and dealovernight–gives those high 2 picks some added value.
The Raiders have the 39th pick. Perfect.
The 49ers don’t have a pick that falls into the sweet spot–they’veof course got 13 and 17 in the 1st round, but then don’t pick againuntil 49.
That doesn’t mean they can’t find a way to acquire a pick in thehigh 30s or low 40s, or can’t package 49 plus something else forMcNabb… but it is interesting.
2)
McNabb reportedly would prefer to go to the Minnesota Vikings.But they’ve got Brett Favre and it’s incredibly unlikely that Favrewill make a decision on his retirement/non-retirement in time for aMcNabb play.
The larger point of this report is that McNabb clearly doesn’t wantto go to a lousy team (like the Rams). I’d think the Raiders would fallinto this category, but Al D. did this last year with Richard Seymour.
And Al’s the one guy who would trade for a potential Hall of Famerwho can become a free agent next year… and NOT feel he’d have to lockthe guy up long-term or care if the guy wants to stay or not.
That’s what AD did with Seymour last year. Seymour wants to go?Can’t–Al just franchise-tags him. If he potentially needs the franchisetag next year, Al can use it on McNabb and trade Seymour or let Seymourgo or spend crazy money on either guy, since they’re getting to thepoint where either might just take it.
—-
the column/
Donovan McNabb is out there, in trade limbo, and for the moment, it looks as if the 49ers are idling on the sideline.
He’s there to be grabbed. The Eagles are listening to offers. McNabb’s right there.
“I understand the situation well,