National Football League

Report: Vikes expected to release McNabb

Published Dec. 1, 2011 7:31 p.m. ET

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The Vikings reportedly are going to release veteran Donovan McNabb sometime Thursday, ending a brief stay in Minnesota for a six-time Pro Bowl quarterback.

ESPN first reported the news via Twitter that the team was going to release McNabb, citing a league source.

NFL Network later joined in, stating Minnesota granted the quarterback's request to be released.

With several potential playoff teams needing help at quarterback after key injuries, including Chicago and Houston, Vikings coach Leslie Frazier was asked Monday if the team had given any thought to letting McNabb catch on elsewhere. "Right now, he's a part of our team and I think he wants to remain with our team, and that's kind of where it is," Frazier said.

McNabb declined any interviews on Monday and was seen in the locker room Thursday afternoon before news of his release broke.

McNabb was acquired in a trade with the Washington Redskins after the lockout was lifted in August. He was expected to give the Vikings a veteran starter while the team groomed first-round pick Christian Ponder. McNabb started the first six games of the season while Minnesota went 1-5 and was replaced in the second half of a Week 6 loss at Chicago.

McNabb had a quarterback rating of 82.9 this season, completing 60.3 percent of his passes with four touchdowns and two interceptions. He was sacked 16 times in his six games but hasn't taken the field since the Vikings switched to Ponder. Ponder has started the past six games and has given Minnesota's staff the hope it's found a long-term answer at quarterback.

"I believe he is," Frazier said Wednesday. "We still have five more games in our season to go where we can continue to evaluate his progress. But he's done some things in these starts that he's had to give you hope he's a guy that's going to continue to grow and develop and learn. "So we'll see what happens after these next five games. All indications are he's going to be the answer for our future long-term at quarterback. We're not going to have to be looking for a quarterback you know two years from now or even a year from now. He's done some really good things from my observation."

According to league rules, McNabb will go through the waiver process. If he's claimed, the claiming team will assume the remainder of his 5.05 million contract for this season. If he goes unclaimed, Minnesota still has to pay the remainder of the contract, which amounts to 1.49 million. It's possible McNabb will have interest in joining a playoff race with the Bears. He is from Chicago, and the Bears are without starter Jay Cutler, who broke his thumb two weeks ago. The team lost to the Raiders last weekend with Caleb Hanie as its starter.