Rumor: Eagles Offer Extension To Quarterback, Not McNabb - UPDATE

File this away in the ‘Typically Crazy Eagles Offseason’ bin. Gary Cobb, former Philadelphia Eagle turned sports talk radio host, has reported that the Philadelphia Eagles offered one of their three quarterbacks an extension…and it’s not Donovan McNabb.↵↵Kevin Kolb, heading into the last year of his contract, along with McNabb and Michael Vick, has reportedly been offered a contract extension. Now, we’re trusting G. Cobb’s source on this, with no affirmation from the Eagles or Kolb’s agent, Jeff Nalley. Cobb, who loves turning the town upside-down with this kind of stuff, is obviously connected enough to the Eagles brass that he can write a line like, “I don’t know whether (Andy) Reid is on board with or aware of the move or not.”↵

↵↵Yikes. Not only did he break the news that the Eagles have offered an extension to their backup when their borderline-Hall-of-Fame quarterback has publicly come out and stated his love for the team – in response, by the way, to Reid publicly confirming his faith in McNabb as the Eagles signal caller – but Cobb also throws in that he’s not sure Reid even knows about the contract offer to Kolb.↵

↵↵Andy, that crushing feeling is a giant green bus backing over you. ↵

↵↵UPDATE: Per the Inqy and PFT, the Eagles deny any truth to this rumor.↵

↵

↵↵⇥“I was asked if Donovan would be my quarterback next year, and I said yes,” Reid said. “That’s what I’m saying now.” The key word there is “now,” meaning perhaps that he could change his mind later -- especially if the right offer comes along.↵⇥↵⇥Here is what Eagles president Joe Banner had to say about the Eagles’ quarterback situation Thursday morning on the Eagles’ Web site:↵⇥

↵⇥↵⇥“It’s a priority to figure out exactly the best way to handle the situation. Andy’s comments have been clear about his evaluation and Andy is the final decision-maker here. As far as do we trade any of the quarterbacks, keep all three quarterbacks, what do we do with their contact status each going into last year of their deals, the uncertainty about the collective bargaining agreement going forward, those are also parts of the decision. There’s different levels of complexity about the decision. We’ll have to sit down and figure it out.”↵⇥

↵⇥↵⇥Sounds as if the door is open to all possibilities.↵⇥

↵↵The bulk of Sal Pal’s article was draped inside the rumors that McNabb will, in fact, be dealt if the price is right. In fact, while the Eagles have publicly said they aren’t shopping any of their quarterbacks, scouts told Paolantonio that Reid and the Eagles are willing to listen to trade offers for McNabb.↵↵The news from Cobb on Kolb, if ultimately true, may expedite those talks. Another interesting point by Cobb (and by interesting I mean completely backwards from what conventional wisdom would indicate) is that the Eagles may have offered a deal to Kolb to get him in cheap and early, using McNabb and Vick for leverage before the other high-priced quarterbacks in the league sign their huge extensions.↵

↵↵⇥The Eagles might also be eager to get Kolb under contract before Peyton Manning, Tom Brady and Drew Brees work out new deals with their respective teams. You know their big contracts are going to open the door to more money for young quarterbacks like Kolb.↵↵Wouldn’t the thought of Manning, Brady and Brees all re-negotiating their contracts give the Eagles more reason to sign McNabb before they finalize their deals? Is Cobb so convinced that McNabb will be traded that he thinks locking up a guy with two career starts is necessary before Super Bowl winning quarterbacks sign their extensions?↵↵Why would someone inside the organization play this hand if the Eagles were planning on dealing McNabb? Doesn’t a contract extension to Kolb eliminate any leverage the Eagles would have in dealing their other quarterback?↵

↵↵Paolantonio calls the McNabb watch the most compelling story of the offseason, and Cobb suggests we “stay tuned.” Maybe this could all work out quicker than people anticipate.↵

↵