McNabb wants Eagles to upgrade before he signs an extension

I have avoided talking about Donovan McNabb this offseason on purpose. Based on his solid play at the end of last season and what Kevin Kolb has shown us so far, I figured that McNabb was definitely going to be the starter next season and the Eagles would likely give him the extension that he has been wanting. McNabb was unhappy with the way the Eagles treated him after being benched in Week 12, but he would have his sit down meeting with the Birds and the front office would eventually give Donovan what he wants.

Apparently, it's not the Eagles who are hesitant to give McNabb an extension, it's the quarterback himself who might not be ready to sign the dotted line. According to a report from ESPN, McNabb met with the Eagles last week and not only discussed his benching last season, but also made it known, once again, that he wants more playmakers. McNabb wants to hold off on discussing a long term contract with the Eagles until he sees what, if anything, the Eagles do in free agency and the draft to upgrade the team. Essentially, he doesn't want to sign an extension with the Eagles until they prove to him that they are serious about winning right now, not sometime down the road.

This is a complete reversal of what McNabb had been saying up to this point. Everything we have been hearing from McNabb and the Eagles has been how the quarterback wanted an extension from the Eagles and he wasn't going to be happy until he got one. Now it appears that McNabb is trying a new strategy to put pressure on the Eagles.

Donovan McNabb sees that his football career is winding down and he wants to win a championship. By basically demanding the Eagles upgrade their roster or he won't be around for long, McNabb is putting pressure on the front office to get something done. The ESPN article even speculates that McNabb could demand a trade out of town if the Eagles don't make moves to make the team better. While that seems a bit extreme, it does signify that McNabb is serious about winning a championship, whether it be with the Eagles or another team, in the next few years.

So, the ball is in your court, Eagles. I think trading for Anquan Boldin would be a nice start to appeasing your quarterback!