According to a report by Comcast Sportsnet in Philadelphia, the Eagles are close to signing quarterback Donovan McNabb to a new contract.

Under his current deal, the 11th-year veteran is scheduled to earn $9.2 million this season and $10 million in 2010. The two sides had been discussing an extension before agreeing to focus on reworking the two years remaining on his current deal.

Earlier this offseason, the 32-year-old McNabb reportedly indicated he wouldn’t negotiate a new deal until he saw the moves the team made in the offseason. Apparently, he’s satisfied, although he has yet to hold a press conference this offseason to discuss the matter.

In 2002, McNabb signed a 12-year, $115 million extension that had him under contract through 2013. The last three years of that extension were voided, though, when McNabb reached certain incentive clauses.

Last season, his 10th in the league, McNabb completed 345 of 571 pass attempts for 3,916 yards – all franchise records.

Football fans seem to either love or hate McNabb and I have been someone that has always been in his corner. Some Philly fans have chastised him ever since he was drafted and love to harp on everything and anything that they feel he does remotely wrong. But the guy has been incredibly productive throughout his entire career and outside of a couple brutal games in the middle of the season, he proved last year that he still has the talent and ability to lead the Eagles deep into the postseason.

It looks like all of the Kevin Kolb fans will have to wait a little longer to see the young QB get his shot to be a starter.

Philadelphia Eagles’ quarterback Donovan McNabb begrudgingly said that he expects to receive a new contract from the team when his current one expires before the 2009 NFL Season.

“Everybody wants a new deal,” McNabb said Wednesday. “But, that’s not why we’re playing this game. We’re playing this game to win, and things happen. I’ve been answering this question the last couple of years, so I guess to eliminate that part of it, hopefully [a new contract] will happen, but we’ll see.”

No matter, McNabb’s future is uncertain. Kevin Kolb, drafted in the second round in 2007 to be McNabb’s eventual successor, hasn’t done much in limited playing time to prove he’s capable of being a top-notch QB. McNabb isn’t due to become a free agent anytime soon, so the Eagles would have to trade or release him.

If management decides to rebuild after missing the playoffs for the third time in four years, the 32-year-old McNabb could go. If the decision-makers feel the team needs only to retool its roster to make a Super Bowl run, McNabb probably will stay because he’s their best option.

“I’m still under contract. I guess it would be solidified by, so I don’t have to answer this question, getting a new deal,” McNabb said. “I don’t truly focus on that. I expect to be here, and I will play this game like it’s not my last. You just go out and try to put everything on the field and give all your guys that confidence knowing that you’re going to sell out for them.”

Not that Kolb is ready at this point to take over the offense, but I doubt McNabb returns next year in Philly. The Eagles are a long-shot to make the playoffs and the organization might be ready to head in another direction.

Personally, I hope McNabb gets the hell out of Dodge. I think he has taken way too much criticism throughout his career and he might be better served playing out his career some place else. But we’ll see how this story develops throughout the offseason.