The Eagle Departs

I think everyone was expecting it, but it was still a shock to hear that QB Donovan McNabb got traded by the Philadelphia Eagles to the Washington Redskins for a 2nd round pick in this year's draft and a 3rd or 4th next year.

McNabb, 33, was the 2nd overall pick in the 1999 draft and played 11 seasons with them. Eagle fans were outraged when he was picked instead of RB Rickey Williams. It proved to be a great selection as he owns all of the important passing records for the team.

He was on the last year of his contract and was caught in a logjam with QB's Michael Vick and Kevin Cobb. There was talk of trading him last year, but he made it through the 2009 season. The Eagles attempted to trade him to the Oakland Raiders, but the team tried to accommodate him and traded him within their division to the Redskins.

It's a great chance for McNabb to get a fresh start with a team that really wants him. He was an outstanding citizen while an Eagle and represented the city very well. In this era, that doesn't get you anywhere. Coach Andy Reid spoke noting but positive comments about McNabb, but the bottom line is the team made a decision to move him.

There was always talk that he couldn't win a Super Bowl or the NFC Championship game. It doesn't matter now. His time in Philadelphia is over and it's time to move on.