Read the opposing arguments from Loyal Homer and Babe Ruthless.
There are many reasons to make a trade.
Sometimes it is to dump salary. Other times it is because the personnel is not a good fit. For the Philadelphia Eagles, it is a problem of overcrowding.
As of today, the Philadelphia Eagles have three quarterbacks on their roster who each believe they can be starting, and each are hoping to get paid thusly – Donovan McNabb, Kevin Kolb, and Michael Vick. Although for very different reasons, the Eagles can make a very legitimate argument for keeping or trading every single one of them.
In evaluating each of their options, though, the only trade that makes sense for the Eagles is to deal Donovan McNabb. While it is true that McNabb has been the face of the Eagles franchise for the past 12 seasons, he is also the only quarterback that will fetch true value for the Eagles.
Michael Vick, although once a Pro Bowl caliber quarterback, has yet to demonstrate that he can once again carry the load of leading an NFL franchise for a full season.
Kevin Kolb, although a very talented prospect who may be ready for the big time, is still unproven as a starter.
The fact is that McNabb is the only quarterback whose value is proven, and in this offseason where bona-fide quarterbacks are at a premium, the Eagles will be able to get top dollar in a deal that involves the Pro Bowler.
Just look at the collection of free agent quarterbacks still on the market today. When Kyle Boller, Mark Brunell, Daunte Culpepper, J.P. Losman, and Josh McCown are the “marquis” names on that list it is hardly a buyer’s market. I know that there are also a couple of potentially exciting names that will go high in the draft next month (namely Sam Bradford and Jimmy Clausen), but the reality of the situation is that none of those names holds the market value of Donovan McNabb.
Last season proved to be one of the best of McNabb’s already impressive career. He cashed in his third-best passer rating (92.9), fourth-best touchdown total (22), and threw fewer interceptions than most of the other “great” passers playing the game today, including Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, and Tom Brady.
The other element that McNabb brings to the table that no other “available” quarterback does is experience. He has led the Eagles to the playoffs in one of the NFL’s toughest divisions – the NFC East – eight of the last ten seasons. His record during the playoffs is an impressive 10-8, and he has made five different NFC championship appearances with one Super Bowl. He is a five-time Pro-Bowler who continues to respond positively to adversity.
McNabb continues to perform as one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL. The only genuine criticism of him is that the majority of his career is already over. Even if he makes a Favre-esque run late into his thirties, he does not have an additional 12 years left in the gas tank.
Kevin Kolb was selected by the Eagles as the future of the Philadelphia franchise. While McNabb may have been the very prominent past, now is the time to change Kolb’s status to become the Eagles’ present. The only reason NOT to stick with Kolb is if the Eagles still don’t believe he is ready to start full time in the NFL. Since that does not appear to be the case, then the Eagles MUST trade McNabb now while his value is high. Failure to do so could ultimately cost Philadelphia McNabb AND Kolb, who will certainly be looking for a starting job elsewhere if he does not get his opportunity soon in Philadelphia.
The resumé McNabb boasts, combined with the likelihood of four to five more highly productive years in the NFL, makes him a prized target for many QB hungry teams in the NFL during an offseason where successful quarterbacks are virtually non-existent. Now is the time for the Philadelphia Eagles to sell high, and maximize the value of Donovan McNabb.
Posted by Bleacher Fan 
