Redskins training camp starts on Thursday, and when it does there's a good chance that new QB Donovan McNabb will enter it while in the last year of his current contract.
It's something the former face of the Eagles franchise isn't accustomed to, and the veteran who has seen just about everything in the game admits he's not entirely sure how to handle it.
"I've never been in that situation before," McNabb said Tuesday at a book-signing session at a D.C. Borders. "So for me to sit here and say it's not tough -- it's a tough answer for me to give. But I'll try. Put it that way. I'll try. But for me, it's a new chapter in my book. A new challenge. And I look forward to it."
So when can Redskins fans expect a new contract to be ironed out? That's up for debate, as well. McNabb is in a similar situation to Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. All of them are in the final year of their current deals. And the entire league -- on the players' side and ownership side -- is waiting to see just how much all-world QBs like Manning and Brady will pull down in new deals. Their new contracts could change the financial landscape of the league, and it could put a huge snag in negotiations between the NFL and NFLPA over the next collective bargaining agreement.
As for McNabb, he's trying to focus on football, although the contract situation will be on his mind.
"We look forward to being able to sit down and talk about that -- maybe sooner than later," McNabb said. "We can't focus in on that. Our agents and the GMs and owners will sit down and come up with some great numbers and crunch that and be able to make it happen. But for me it's just focusing in on the field and getting these guys ready to play."
McNabb has been doing just that. He invited teammates to work out with him near his Arizona home last week in preparation for training camp. He said the ability to train with them -- especially his new receiving corps -- gave him a head start on the coming camp.
That should go a long way toward McNabb's goal of turning the Redskins offense into his offense -- just like he had in Philly.
"When you step into a new situation, you want to give it your all. You want to show everyone around you the attitude you're coming in with," McNabb said. "I think when they've seen you for 11 years, no one's ever (taken) back by it. It's like, 'Oh, that's just Donovan.'
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"But when you're in a new situation and you see the excitement when you're stepping out on the field, when you're staying after practice, in the film room, in the weight room, now people are beginning to get excited in the building," he said. "Because they know once the season starts, good things are going to happen. That's the attitude I want people to have, not just in the locker room, but all in the D.C. area. I want people to understand that we're going to give all that we have. 4-12 is over. That's in the past. We're looking for good things to happen this year, and to happen right now."
