JaMarcus Russell Works Out with Washington Redskins: Should Donovan McNabb Be Worried?

JaMarcus Russell had a workout with the Washington Redskins on Tuesday afternoon, just two days after starting signal-caller Donovan McNabb was pulled in the final minutes of a loss to the Washington Redskins.

It has all the makings of a quarterback controversy. But it's a little early to go there.

Russell was just one of several players to work out for the Redskins, according to a story at SI.com, including several other quarterbacks. And the presence of the former first-rounder more famous for toting "Purple Drank" than carrying an offense doesn't necessarily mean McNabb's job is in jeopardy.

There are locker rooms around the league with coaches who are certainly dumb enough to make such a move. Brad Childress and Wade Phillips immediately come to mind. But Mike Shanahan isn't desperate enough to pull the trigger on that drastic a move.

There's a reason Russell is available in the middle of the season. He was an overweight waste of space known for his lack of work ethic and NFL smarts. He may still possess some of the physical skills that made him an appealing pick several years ago, but it's silly to assume he could step in and guide any team in the league right now.

The timing, of course, couldn't be worse for the Redskins, unless the goal is to send a message to McNabb that his job isn't necessarily safe. Shanahan has been known to light a fire under veterans in the past, and perhaps this is his way of taking a shot at the experienced QB.

Either way, it's probably best not to expect to see JaMarcus Russell under center in a Redskins uniform anytime soon. At least not if Shanahan wants to keep his job.