Eagles Trade McNabb to Redskins

The NFC East just got a little more interesting. 

The Philadelphia Eagles announced Sunday that they have traded Pro bowl quarterback Donovan McNabb to the Washington Redskins for a pair of draft picks. The Eagles will receive a second-round pick (37th overall) in this month’s NFL draft and either a third- or fourth-round pick next year.

Washington had signed free-agent QB Rex Grossman last month to compete with starter Jason Campbell and they currently hold the fourth overall pick in the 2010 Draft.

I expected them to go after a QB to replace Campbell but with this new move the spot opens up to possibly fill some other critical areas like the offensive line. Moving McNabb within the division is also a curious move that shows how willing the Eagles were to unload Donovan with one year left on his contract.

The deal will also move the Eagles’ Kevin Kolb up to the starter position and Michael Vick as the backup.

Donovan McNabb had been the starter for the Eagles since starting in his rookie year of 1999 after he was drafted by Philadelphia in the first round with the second overall pick. Numerous Eagles fans in attendance began loudly booing McNabb as they wanted running back Ricky Williams as seen in the video below.

Since then, McNabb has taken the Eagles to five NFC championship games and to Super Bowl XXXIX.   He has thrown for 32,873 yards and 216 touchdowns and rushed for 3,249 yards.

The trades comes after a two-week stretch of uncertainty for McNabb after Eagles coach Andy Reid admitted at the league meetings that he team was entertaining offers for its quarterbacks.