I’ve been saying for weeks that the idea of quarterback Peyton Manning wanting to play for the Redskins makes no sense, for several reasons. First, he won’t want to compete in the same division with his brother, Eli. Second, the Redskins aren’t particularly all that competitive. Third, the climate combined with a chewed-up field that hosts periodic college games doesn’t provide the kind of laboratory conditions that are conducive to big passing numbers. And, fourth, a quarterback accustomed to running the offense won’t mesh well with an offensive coordinator who is accustomed to running the quarterback like a kid playing a video game.
On that last point, a former Redskins quarterback agrees.
“Peyton’s not gonna go there,” McNabb recently told ESPN 980, via Dan Steinberg of the Washington Post. “I don’t see Peyton ending up in Washington. Because what happens is now, you’re bringing in another veteran who will be 35 36, who has been in one offense throughout his career. It’s the same situation.”
The same situation, of course, as the one McNabb confronted.
“Now he comes over, and as they say now, Peyton is such an offensive coordinator on the offense,” McNabb said. “So now what does that do to your offensive coordinator? Does he step down? Does he step back? Does he begin to change the whole offense according to the play of the quarterback that he has in Peyton Manning? Well, I didn’t see that happen, so I definitely don’t see that happening for Peyton.”
McNabb is right. But he’s overlooking two things. First, there’s a chance the Shanahans have changed as a result of the McNabb experience. Second, McNabb was micromanaged for 11 years in Philly; Peyton has been running the show for most of his career.
Still, the fit’s not there. Manning will use Washington’s interest (along with Miami’s) to drive up the price that someone else will pay. And so it will be a shock if he plays for the Redskins or the Dolphins — and frankly more of a shock if he ends up at FedEx Field.