McNabb released; anybody interested?

DONOVAN McNABB is available again.

The Minnesota Vikings yesterday waived the 13-year NFL quarterback who spent his first 11 seasons as an Eagle, giving him the opportunity to sign with another team for the stretch run in a parting that coach Leslie Frazier described as mutual.

Frazier pushed for the Vikings to trade a sixth-round draft pick this summer to Washington in exchange for McNabb. He wanted stability he believed McNabb would bring to the offense after the NFL lockout kept rookie Christian Ponder from practicing with the team or working with his coaches until training camp.

"This was the best decision for both parties," Frazier said. "He was a great player and has been a great player for our league for a long, long time. Have a lot of affection and love for Donovan."

McNabb went 1-5 as a starter, threw for only four touchdowns and completed just five passes of 25-plus yards. Frazier said he didn't regret the trade given the situation the Vikings were in this summer, and said he believes McNabb can still play in the NFL but stopped short of saying he can be an effective starter.

"I'm not certain about that . . . A lot depends on the team he goes to, if he goes to another team," Frazier said.

McNabb was benched in favor of Ponder in the fourth quarter at Chicago on Oct. 16 and hasn't played since.

"He's been a true pro in every sense of the word," Frazier said. "He's a class guy. Always has been, and he's done a good job in spite of the fact he wasn't our starting quarterback."

McNabb was in the locker room, seen asking running back Adrian Peterson to autograph a jersey. But he was gone by the time practice began and unavailable for comment.

The question now is whether he will catch on elsewhere or call it quits with six Pro Bowl selections and the third-best interception percentage of all time. Injuries have felled several QBs around the league, and the Bears - McNabb's hometown team - are one team with an opening as Jay Cutler recovers from a broken thumb.

Frazier said McNabb didn't mention retirement or signing with another team when they talked. "We both agreed that this was probably going to be the best thing to do," Frazier said.

In other NFL news:

 * Arizona quarterback Kevin Kolb says his injured right foot is sore but he was able to practice and still expects to start against Dallas on Sunday. It would be Kolb's first action since he was injured Oct. 30. The Cardinals are 3-1 in Kolb's absence.

* Oakland linebacker Rolando McClain was arrested on misdemeanor assault, firearms and other charges after allegedly firing a gun during a fight in his hometown of Decatur, Ala. McClain, 22, held a gun beside a man's head during an altercation and the man begged him not to shoot, according to a statement released by the Decatur Police.

* Detroit defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh had his appeal heard of a two-game suspension for stomping on an opponent. Art Shell, jointly appointed by the league and the players association to hear such cases, conducted the hearing in a conference call, but set no timetable for making a decision. The Lions play Sunday in New Orleans.

* New York Giants defensive coordinator Perry Fewell accused some of his players of quitting in the blowout loss to New Orleans and vowed it will not happen again.

* Indianapolis quarterback Peyton Manning will increase the intensity of his workouts though he has not yet been cleared to practice, a doctor says. In a statement released by the Colts, Dr. Robert Watkins says the fusion performed on Manning's neck has achieved "firm fixation."

* Green Bay, the NFL's only publicly owned team, is offering the fifth stock sale in team history and first in 14 years. The money will help pay for $130 million in renovations at Lambeau Field. There are 112,205 people who own a total of 4.75 million shares. Another 250,000 shares will go on sale Tuesday, available by mail or at packers.com. The shares cost $250 plus a handling charge.