After months of saying that he would be sitting down with the Eagles’ front office to rework his contract, it appears as though Donovan McNabb finally got his sit down.

Announced in a press conference today at the NovaCare Center with McNabb and coach Andy Reid, the quarterback will be receiving $24.5 million over the next two years. He was originally scheduled to receive $19.2 over that period.

According to both McNabb and the Eagles, this deal has nothing to do with a possible contract extension down the line. Rather, since the NFL is so unpredictable, the focus remained on the final two years of his current contract.

Responding to several questions about his assessment of the team’s offseason moves, McNabb replied that he was “still assessing” and that he is “comfortable right now. I’m comfortable with this team right now.”

McNabb repeatedly reiterated that “These two years are very important,” repeating that mantra several times.

My take on the press conference is that both sides are going to tkae a wait and see approach to the next two years. If McNabb continues to play at a high level, and if the Eagles continue to surround him with quality players, and possibly if they make it or win a SuperBowl over the next two years, then it seems like there would be a good chance that the two would agree to an extension.

<!– /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:”"; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:”Times New Roman”; mso-fareast-font-family:”Times New Roman”;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} –> “We focused on these two years…These two years are very important to me because I believe we can get the job done.”

However, if McNabb starts to lose a step or two, or if the Eagles don’t make the necessary improvement, or perhaps if they do not make it to the playoffs over the next couple years, then maybe in two years we’ll be ringing in the Kevin Kolb era.

Given the Eagles’ history of not re-signing players past a certain age, regardless of their service to the team, as well as their history of negotiating extensions that ultimately benefit the team in the second half of the contract, this deal makes sense.

<!– /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:”"; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:”Times New Roman”; mso-fareast-font-family:”Times New Roman”;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} –> “I have always said I would like to retire here, but that’s not going to be in two years.”

McNabb wants to retire an Eagle, but will go somewhere else if that means he can keep playing, and playing as a starter.

Coach Reid continues to say that he has every confidence in his quarterback, the Baltimore game be damned.

<!– /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:”"; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:”Times New Roman”; mso-fareast-font-family:”Times New Roman”;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} –> “Yea I am [very confident in Donovan], yea, very much so. After 10 years I think I know him pretty good…We have the best quarterback in the National Football League.”

When Reid was pressed about the Baltimore game and whether he thought that was a cause of McNabb’s turn around last season, he continued to be mum on the subject.

<!– /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:”"; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:”Times New Roman”; mso-fareast-font-family:”Times New Roman”;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} –> “You’re bridging a lot of gaps there with you’re own thoughts. That’s not exactly how I saw that. I’m not going to go into that,” Reid said.

The press conference had a somewhat tense tone, particularly from McNabb, who at one point said that “I didn’t even want to have this press conference.”

Nevertheless, the deal is done, and now both sides can focus on the upcoming training camps and winning the SuperBowl this season.