Bears Blitz

Donovan McNabb: Bears Must Not Depend on Released QB for Significant Production

Published by Michael Dixon on December 1, 2011
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Chicago Bears

It seems like we were just here with Kyle Orton. But now, another veteran quarterback has found his way to the waiver wire.

Thursday, Dec. 1 at 1:45 p.m. EST

Jason La Canfora is reporting that the Vikings will release Donovan McNabb.

Thursday, Dec. 1 at 1:47 p.m. EST

La Canfora reported that the Bears would be a team that would interest McNabb.

There’s an intriguing idea. After all, the Bears quarterback situation is anything but stable. McNabb is from Chicago. So, let’s run with it.

Would Donovan McNabb to the Bears make sense? As a backup, yes. As anything more than that, not at all.

Before we go too deep into this process, let’s make one other point. The Bears aren’t the only team struggling at quarterback right now. Any team can claim McNabb. If the Bears go after him and someone with an inferior record does the same, that team gets him.

Since the Bears put a claim in on Orton when the Broncos released him, it’s a reasonable thought that the Bears will at least give him a second look.

So, let’s say that the Bears put a claim on McNabb, and they get him. Is he better than Caleb Hanie? He’s certainly more experienced. But that doesn’t mean he’s a better option than Caleb Hanie.

Remember that Hanie got his first start last week. Yes, he lost, but in a tough road environment, he threw for more than 250 yards and two touchdowns. Hanie also ran the ball well when needed. Given the Bears’ offensive line, that’s not irrelevant.

McNabb has suffered through two consecutive ineffective seasons, is a little injury-prone is his own right, and is now 35 years old.

So, if McNabb does in fact end up in a Bears’ uniform, it needs to be in a backup role. Hanie deserves another game or two. His last game simply wasn’t that bad, given the circumstances.

Simply put, if the Bears, or any team, is actually relying on McNabb to lead them to a deep playoff run, they will be left disappointed. He’s just not that guy anymore.