Prima Donovan and Lord Favre

The Eagles drafted a quarterback with their top pick drawing the ire of Donovan McNabb and his whole Chunky Soup spooning family. The Packers drafted a defensive tackle in the first round, failed to trade for Randy Moss, and have to deal with the rumor that Brett Favre has demanded a trade (Brett Favre and the Packers issued a press release denying this). In my effort to bring you the latest in NFL news, I apparently overlooked the point when Donovan McNabb and Brett Favre were named general managers of their respective teams. If these guys, or any quarterbacks for that matter, were calling the shots, their teams would draft receivers or offensive lineman every year. This is yet another drawback to having a franchise quarterback, along with their enormous salaries (Favre has an $11 million base salary this year, and were he actually traded whatever team the got him would want to pay him about half that).

Last season Ray Lewis made similar demands of the Ravens, imploring them to draft a defensive tackle, then implying that he wanted to be traded (with similar salary restrictions as Favre) but the Ravens didn't have to issue a press release to put out the fire; since it was defensive player it was a story reported in the second half hour of Sportscenter and the story was forgotten after a week. Guard Alan Faneca's dissatisfaction about his contract hasn't even made it to Sportscenter, and he's a better guard than anyone not named Peyton or Tom is a quarterback. These stories with McNabb and Favre keep gaining momentum and will probably be huge distractions for their teams. Coincidentally, both of those teams traded their star receiver after their quarterbacks spoke out against them; Favre criticized Javon Walker for holding out, McNabb and Terrell Owens engaged in very public sniping.

Last year, Drew Brees, Steve McNair, and Daunte Culpepper were available, veteran quarterbacks. This year, Trent Green, Culpepper, and possibly Favre are available. The myth that you can't find a good quarterback via free agency or without giving up multiple first day picks should have been dispelled by now, but apparently it hasn't been. Everyone that drafts a quarterback in the first round is lauded, and everyone who passes on one is criticized. You give me someone who can rush the passer or keep him upright.