Donovan McNabb's agent labeled as "completely false" reports that he and the Redskins had already begun talks aimed at extending the newly acquired quarterback's contract.
"Our first objective was to complete the trade," Fletcher Smith said Tuesday after McNabb's introductory news conference at Redskins Park.
Smith added he was "optimistic something will happen" in terms of a new deal.
McNabb, 33, is going into his 12th season but the final one on his current contract.
Smith said he thought it was in the Redskins' interest to extend McNabb "because they gave up a high [second-round]" draft pick to the Philadelphia Eagles (plus another choice in 2011) in the trade. The Eagles and Redskins announced the trade on Sunday night.
Contract talks are Smith's area and that is where his client would like to leave them.
"I don't focus on that," McNabb said. "But I do expect to be here, to be here for years to come."
That seems like the Redskins' plan as well. They do not view McNabb as a quick fix but as a long-term solution.
"He takes care of himself," head coach Mike Shanahan said. "He works out. He lives a certain lifestyle. He can play as long as he wants to play."
At 33, he's younger than Peyton Manning. Younger than John Elway was when Shanahan took over the Denver Broncos and Elway played four years for Shanahan, going out with back-to-back Super Bowl wins at 38.
The Eagles found themselves in a bit of a bind with three quarterbacks on their roster all entering their final contract years. They weren't really willing to trade Kevin Kolb after grooming him for three years and the price they set for Michael Vick did not reflect reality.
That put in motion the concentration on dealing McNabb.
He can avoid another disruption a year from now by getting an extension. Or he could wait and become a free agent in 2011 and force the Redskins to use their franchise tag on him or compete with other bidders.
"One thing I can do to make that situation hard if we go there is winning, winning ballgames," McNabb said.
Smith put no timetable on sitting down with Redskins executives but didn't seem concerned about protracted or difficult negotiations.
"We'll get there," he said.
