When we last spoke, it was believed the Washington Redskins were on the hook for $40 million in guaranteed money to soon-to-be 34-year-old quarterback Donovan McNabb. As I wrote after his dismal performance in Monday's 59-28 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, that number seemed a little "ridiculous."

Well, it turns out the Redskins haven't completely lost their mind when you look at the figures secured from the NFL Players Association by ESPN's Adam Schefter on Tuesday. If the Redskins decide to cut ties with McNabb following this season, they'd only be on the hook for $3.75 million. This had the makings of an Albert Haynesworth-type albatross when news broke Monday afternoon, but the actual figures make more sense in the light of day.

I think McNabb will be with the Skins at least through the 2011 season, in part, because they don't have any other options. There are now reports that only one of the Shanahans, Kyle, had a problem with McNabb. And there's no doubt that McNabb's benching had the odd effect of creating a sense of urgency for the Redskins to get something done.

My favorite line in Schefter's report: "The deal's maximum value is $88.5 million if McNabb leads his team to a Super Bowl victory every year."

I'll go out on a limb this afternoon and say that McNabb's going to come up a little short of that number. In fact, he's likely to come up $70 million short. The total figure never really means all that much. It's the guaranteed portion that tells the story.

The Redskins don't look quite as benevolent today.