McNabb vs. Kolb: Weighing the Pros and Cons

If you believe the nonstop media circus that is ESPN, it looks as though Donovan is on his way out of town sometime soon.  Whether it comes to pass or not, let's stop speculating for a minute and take an in-depth look at our top 2 quarterbacks and see who is actually better to have for the time being.

DONOVAN MCNABB

Age: 33 (Will turn 34 next season)

Height: 6'2"

Weight: 240

College: Syracuse

Experience: 12 years

Andy Reid scored a bulls-eye when he took this man for his first draft pick as head coach of the Eagles.  Donovan McNabb has had a tremendous career thus far and now owns pretty much every Eagles passing record; he is also the winningest QB in franchise history.  Yet in the 11 seasons he has played, the team has been to the NFC Championship game 5 times, losing all but one (in 2004), and lost their only Super Bowl appearance in his tenure.  He has been named to the Pro Bowl six times, but a Super Bowl title eludes him.  He is widely respected by players, coaches and fans, and any team would be lucky to have him.

PROS

- Has a cannon arm; his passes are some of the hardest in the league

- Even after sustaining a broken ankle, a sports hernia, and a torn ACL, he is still quite mobile; he is one of the best in the game at escaping sacks

- Is good at game management, better than Andy Reid anyway

- Can make plays on the run

- Has extensive playoff experience

- Minimizes interceptions; does not throw them often

CONS

- Is getting old (he'll be 34 next November); past his prime

- Prone to injury

- Has lost a step in his scrambling play due to age and injuries

- Pass accuracy leaves something to be desired; will sometimes overthrow or short-hop open receivers; sometimes does not make the throws he should

- Not as good as he should be at protecting the ball; gets jumpy in the pocket

- Field vision can be spotty; often has passes batted down at the line of scrimmage

KEVIN KOLB

Age: 25 (Will turn 26 in August)

Height: 6'3"

Weight: 220

College: Houston

Experience: 4 years

The Eagles surprised everyone, including McNabb, when they traded down into the second round to select Kevin Kolb with their first pick.  He started out as a third-stringer behind A.J. Feeley, but took over the backup spot the following year.  His first regular season appearance, as we all know, was disastrous, but it was hardly his fault.  Being thrown in mid-game against a defense like the Ravens' with no preparation will do that.  But he turned a lot of heads last year, when he started 2 games in the place of an injured McNabb and became the first quarterback in NFL history to throw for over 300 yards in his first two regular season starts.  He has been tagged as McNabb's heir apparent by the Eagles brass.

PROS

- Has good accuracy; can make some throws McNabb can't; will make the throws he should

- Has touch on his passes

- Quick decision-maker; has a very quick release

- Solidly built; durability is not a concern

- Has good leadership qualities and a strong work ethic

- He'll only be 26 this season; has his whole career in front of him and has a lot of upside

CONS

- Issues of experience; may take some time to master Andy Reid's system

- Not as athletic as McNabb; may take a lot of sacks

- Doesn't have McNabb's arm strength; the deep ball is a concern

- While more mobile than some might think, he won't run away from defenders too often

- Didn't play in a pro-style offense at Houston; this may limit his ability to become an elite vertical passer

- Will have a TON of pressure put on him if he takes over for McNabb

So there we have it.  If you put these two side by side, neither is a runaway winner.  Each has strengths that the other doesn't, so each brings their own special brand of play to the field.  So who should we give the edge to?  McNabb's given us 11 good years, and he's stated time and again that he thinks he can still bring the Lombardi Trophy to Philly.  Kolb has been waiting quietly in the wings, and I wouldn't doubt that he's learned a lot.  His performance in his only 2 starts last season showed us all that he can step up and get the job done. 

EDGE: KOLB

No disrespect intended for Donovan here, but I think Kolb is ready to take the reins.  Kolb still has at least 4 years before he reaches his prime, while McNabb is already past it.  Kolb may not throw the lasers McNabb can, or bomb a pass 50-60 yards in the air, but he's an accurate, high-percentage passer who can retain possession, move the chains, and eat up the clock.  He is able to make passes in traffic, which McNabb sometimes shies away from.  Even though he doesn't have McNabb's athleticism in avoiding sacks, Kolb can still use his feet to find open ground, and his quick release and rapid-fire decision-making will help offset lesser mobility.

Donovan's career is not over, but it would just be the best thing for all parties if he were to find a different team and start anew.  He may benefit from playing in a city with less intense, demanding fans (come on, folks, we all know how we can get), and as we are all aware, Donovan is at his best when he's playing loose and having fun.

But a trade comes with a few caveats; first, if a trade is to be done, it must happen before or during the draft.  The team simply cannot afford to open minicamp with a rift between McNabb and the rest of the organization.  The brass has unzipped its fly, so to speak, and it better get to the gettin', or else there's gonna be a pretty big matzoh ball hanging out there come May.

Second, as we all know, trading McNabb gives us the age-old dilemma of swapping experience for youth.  McNabb has been playing in Reid's system for over a decade; Kolb is still learning it.  We will have to wait and see if Kolb can handle baptism by fire; Baltimore still haunts our memories.

Finally, if we trade McNabb, we cannot expect a Super Bowl title out of Kolb in his first full season as a starter.  He'll need some time to get on the same page with his offense, and fans should steel themselves for at least a season or two of more losses than we've become accustomed to.  However, he is in luck, because his offense happens to be very young and very talented.  The Oakland Raiders they ain't.  What's more, the youngsters on offense have a lot of respect for Kolb, and they're ready for him to lead.

With all due respect to 5, the era of Donovan McNabb is at an end.  Whether he's traded or not, Andy Reid has already pulled an okey-doke on him by going back on his statement that Donovan would be his starting QB in 2010.  He has played admirably in his 11 seasons with the team, and even though he didn't win a Super Bowl during that time, he always kept us in contention.  I had to remind myself of this even when he drove me crazy, gave me ulcers, and caused me to cry myself to sleep on more than one occasion (yeah, I'm man enough to admit when I cry; only the Eagles can make me do it).  I know you're probably thinking that I'm speaking of him as if he's already gone, but let's face facts: we need to trade him while we can still get something out of him, and for his sake, while he still has some gas left in the tank and therefore is able to secure a starting spot elsewhere.  It's just a matter of time now, kids.  Let's get ready for a changing of the guard.