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It's Official: Donovan McNabb Traded To Redskins
As first reported by ESPN.com insider Adam Schefter, the Eagles on Sunday reached an agreement on a blockbuster intra-division trade to send perennial Pro Bowl quarterback Donovan McNabb to the Washington Redskins.

The two sides still must finalize language, but McNabb is now headed to Washington. The Eagles quickly confirmed the move.

"This was a very tough decision," head coach Andy Reid said in a statement. "Donovan McNabb represented everything a football player could be during his 11 seasons in Philadelphia. He carried this organization to new heights and set a high standard of excellence both on and off the field. We thank him for everything he did for this football team and for this city."

McNabb threw for 3,553 yards and 22 touchdowns with 10 interceptions in 14 games last season, leading the Eagles to the playoffs. His passer rating of 92.9 was the third-highest in his career.

According to multiple reports, Philadelphia will receive the No. 37 overall pick in the 2010 draft and either a third or fourth round pick in 2011.

Sources told Schefter that McNabb's contract, which has one year and $11.2 million left on it, scared off several other teams. McNabb is due a $6.2 million roster bonus on May 5 and is scheduled to become a free agent after the 2010 season.

At the league meetings last month, Reid said the Eagles were listening to offers for all three his quarterbacks, including 11-year veteran McNabb, who quickly requested a quick resolution to the trade conversations.

That wish was granted.

As Profootballtalk.com put it, "The move is reminiscent of New England's trade of Drew Bledsoe to the Bills. Not only do the Eagles not want McNabb, they are confident they can beat him twice a year."

The move means the Redskins now have a new starting quarterback and the Eagles have a new one as well in Kevin Kolb. Michael Vick is now in line as the team's backup.

And while dealing him to a divisional rival is surprising on the surface, FOXSports.com's Jay Glazer, who first mentioned the possibility of a trade to Washington on Saturday, advised Twitter followers in his initial reporting that Reid cared about finding the right home for McNabb.

"[The] team is trying to trade him someplace he'll be happy," Glazer wrote. "Have offers but Andy is trying to do him right. ..."

Other suitors reportedly included Oakland -- often identified as the front-runner -- and Buffalo. Neither team would have made McNabb happy. And I think it’s safe to assume that a chance to go up against his former team twice annually is something that will indeed go a long way toward pleasing the veteran signal caller, whose had an up-and-down relationship (at best) with Eagles fans and the Philadelphia media.

Meanwhile, as Washington Post staffer Jason Reid suggested when Glazer first floated the McNabb-to-Washington rumor, the Redskins clearly are not committed to quarterback Jason Campbell, their starter the past three plus seasons.

Reid went on to remind readers that the organization has been aggressively scouting college quarterbacks -- Sam Bradford, Jimmy Clausen and Colt McCoy among them -- since early during the 2009 season.

And even though McNabb doesn't appear to be the kind of quarterback to begin a rebuilding process with, new head coach Mike Shanahan is the man in charge of that project; he's also the man who ultimately had to okay the decision to acquire McNabb.

It remains to be seen if the Skins still select a quarterback to groom as McNabb's replacement in this year's draft. But given the fact McNabb is only 33, by no means ancient when it comes to the quarterback position, such a selection would appear to be moot.

While the Eagles clearly felt a need to make the change to Kolb, questions remain there, even if the Eagles say otherwise.

"Obviously, we have a lot of confidence in Kevin Kolb to make this decision, and he will be the starting quarterback," Reid said.

But as NFL Network insider Jason La Canfora recently pointed out, in terms of Eagles history, no other quarterback comes close to McNabb's production.

He has more games, attempts, completions, yards and touchdowns than anyone else. He has by far the best rating -- nearly 10 points higher than Randall Cunningham (minimum of 100 games with the team) -- and lowest interception percentage. McNabb has thrown for nearly 6,000 yards more than any other Eagles quarterback, and has 41 more touchdown passes than the next closest Eagle (Ron Jaworski).

Kolb, on the other hand, has 130 career attempts, 79 career completions, four career touchdown passes and seven interceptions.

So, the bottom line on this deal might have been best summed up by Newark Star-Ledger staffer Manish Mehta, who wrote tonight: "In an eye blink, the Eagles became the Redskins. And the Redskins became the Eagles. Philly now becomes worst team in NFC East."

Stay tuned. ... I'll have more analysis on the how this will impact both Eagles and Redskins players going forward as we learn more about both team's plans in coming weeks.