SHOCKER: McNabb Traded to Redskins

Donovan McNabb Traded to Washington Redskins

WOW.

I was not expecting this. Not at all.

Eagletarian breaks it down:

The Eagles have confirmed the trade of Donovan McNabb to the Redskins for a second-round pick this year, No. 37 overall, and a conditional third- or fourth-round pick next year.

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Jay Glazer is god. The man heard there was more than just mild interest from Skins for McNabb.” Apparently he was right…

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Unlike Jay, I am most assuredly mortal:

Andy Reid is quite simply going to ask a lot more from teams who the Eagles have to compete with. The game is all about relative gains, and trading McNabb a rival won’t help the Eagles’ chances. For example, McNabb’s not going to Washington. And while he could go to another NFC team, it would be much more expensive.

Oops.

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Early 2nd rounder and a 3rd or 4th in 2011? Initial reaction: that’s not that much. Though that’s probably a result of various sources hyping the Eagles’ ability to get a #1 pick.

Also, I was willing to take the Rams #33 overall and OJ Atogwe. This is probably worth more.

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John McClain, Houston Chronicle NFL reporter, says Texans Coach Gary Kubiak told him about Kolb:

“Every time I see him, he reminds me of Favre.”

He better be.

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Anyone still want to read a detailed post on the new Eagles youth movement? Pretty graphs and all. Sigh.

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Andy is not inspiring much confidence up at the press conference.

He was the starting quarterback until he went elsewhere. I was honest with you.”

Also, Andy says Donovan is the best quarteback the Eagles have ever had. But then in the next sentence, he compares the situation to Drew Bledsoe going to Buffalo. Burn.

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This may have ended up being the best offer the Eagles got. But Andy and company really are not scared about Donovan going in the division.

I tend to think they should be.

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If the 3rd/4th round pick in 2011 is conditional on performance, you have to think that it will either be a low 4th rounder (because McNabb/Redskins didn’t do well) or a high 3rd (because they improved tremenodusly).

That puts the value at an average of 114 on the draft value chart. Add 530 points for the 2nd rounder this year and the Eagles got approximately the 29th overall pick in compensation. Think that’s enough for McNabb?

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So how high do the Eagles take a new quarterback in the draft? Maybe Tebow or Colt McCoy drop to that second 2nd round pick? I’m open to anything at this point.

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As we race to conclusions, let’s also remember none of this can really be analyzed properly until we’re like 3 years down the road. With that said, back to my immediate two cents.

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Mike Shanahan and McNabb. I’m not too happy about that.

Think they might bring out some of the best in each other. Let’s hope that offensive line and runners-of-the-past thing they’ve got going on puts a damper on their aspirations.

By the way, is there anyone who doesn’t think Daniel Snyder is reaching into his deep pockets right now for Donovan?

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Jason Cole of Yahoo Sports says McNabb strong-armed a trade to Washington:

McNabb, who is in the final year of his deal, made this happen by making it clear he wasn’t going anywhere else but Washington. When the Buffalo Bills expressed interest – and even were willing to give McNabb a contract extension – he passed on the offer. When the Oakland Raiders sniffed around and showed willingness to trade for the quarterback without an extension, McNabb indicated to the Eagles through his associates that he’d retire.
“He has plenty of money,” the source close to McNabb said. “He’s not doing anything he doesn’t want to do.”

Yikes. That’s a lot more involved than we were led to believe. And he threatened to retire rather than report? Wow. McNabb playing hardball.

(Sal Pal confirms.)

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Jason Campbell and Donovan have talked? That must have been an awkward conversation.

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Adam Caplan reports the Eagles could have had Albert Haynesworth. Meh. That would have been a lot of money for an older player at a position the Eagles don’t need. Plus, it probably would have replaced any high pick.

LaRon Landry (as Gregg Rosenthal reports) was apparently another interesting name thrown around.

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More live updates as I pick my jaw off the ground…