Quote:
Originally Posted by Paintrain
I don't know I'd use Esiason, McNair and Aikman as comparisons. Esiason was well into journeyman status by 34, McNair's injury history was more extensive than McNabb and Aikman was chronically suffering from concussions at the same age as McNabb is now. While D-Mac hasn't always been the picture of health he's healthier than 2 examples and simply better than the third.
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Point taken on the injury histories of Aikman and McNair (though that's a reason I think they are similar, it's clearly not the same thing), but on Esiason, I'd think you'd have to consider McNabb a journeyman starting this year. I don't think his career is going to finish in Washington unless it ends up being truncated like McNair's (rip) and Aikman's were.
But yeah: Bradshaw, Brunell, Bledsoe, Jim Kelly, Ken Stabler (I'm just reading off his PFR page now). None of these guys lasted into their late thirties. Brunell was still effective until 36, at least, but without a vertical component in the Redskins offense.
The Elway comparison is the best for a successful McNabb tenure here, as he was 35 when Mike Shanahan came in with his system and played three more years at a high level. And the Elway comparison isn't lost on me. Their career's haven't been that similar to this point, but if we get a top-level rushing attack going, all things are possible.