McNabb, who has one year left on the 12-year, $115 million contract he signed with the Eagles in 2002, was dealt to the Redskins on Sunday in exchange for Washington's second-round pick (37th overall) in this month's NFL draft and either a third- or fourth-round pick next year.
The Redskins have set a noon news conference on Tuesday to introduce McNabb.
McNabb instantly replaced incumbent Jason Campbell as the starting quarterback for a Redskins franchise that has won just one playoff game since 1999.
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Since the turn of the century, 10 different players have started a game at quarterback for the Redskins.
"I'm really excited about my future with the Washington Redskins," McNabb said in a statement Sunday night. "I'm eager to work with Coach [Mike] Shanahan. He's been a very successful coach with a couple of Super Bowl victories on his resume. While it has been my goal to win a Super Bowl in Philadelphia, we came up short. I enjoyed my 11 years, and know we shared a lot more good times than bad."
Shanahan and Campbell met Monday to discuss Campbell's future, a league source told Schefter. According to the source, the Redskins are prepared to keep him, but will listen to offers for him as well.
Shanahan already has signed free agent Rex Grossman as a backup and has been actively scouting the top quarterbacks available in next month's draft, when the Redskins will have the No. 4 overall pick.
The Redskins still have Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford scheduled to visit on Tuesday, league sources told Schefter.
McNabb joins a Redskins team that finished just 4-12 last year but is focused on a quick turnaround in its first year under Shanahan and general manager Bruce Allen.
In addition to McNabb and Grossman, the Redskins have signed former Pro Bowl running backs Willie Parker and Larry Johnson, CB Phillip Buchanon, and NT Maake Kemoeatu.
"That definitely sent a message," said 32-year-old center Casey Rabach, who re-signed with the Redskins in March. "This isn't about rebuilding. This is about going out to win games now. At this stage of my career, that's exciting."
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Redskins running back Clinton Portis was stunned by the trade, but excited to add a teammate of McNabb's caliber.
"I think it was more a shock that the Eagles would let him go to a divisional opponent," Portis said in a "SportsCenter" interview Monday. "Donovan has a lot left in the tank and for the Eagles to let him come here is shocking."
After the Eagles drafted him second overall in 1999, McNabb went to six Pro Bowls, led Philadelphia to five NFC Championship Games and one Super Bowl and set franchise records in nearly every passing category.
But McNabb, who was booed by Eagles fans on draft day, was often criticized by the Philadelphia media and Eagles fans for his lack of Super Bowl appearances despite often playing with a subpar supporting cast.
When Philadelphia brought in Terrell Owens in 2004, the offense flourished. McNabb had his best season and the Eagles reached the Super Bowl, losing 24-21 to the New England Patriots.
McNabb threw for 357 yards and three touchdowns in the game, but also was intercepted three times. There's also the mystery of whether he actually vomited during the final drive.
Portis was impressed with the way McNabb dealt with the criticism, but questioned the Eagles' decision to get rid of such a successful player.
"I think for Donovan's credit he handled it as a professional," Portis said. "Year-in and year-out amongst the criticism to come out and play and give the city of Philadelphia everything he had, never moping or pouting. He's somebody who went to the championship game five times and that's not enough. What's enough in the NFL now is unknown. You take me to the championship game five times, I can't see getting rid of you."
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But Philadelphia drafted Kevin Kolb with the 36th overall pick in 2007 and signed Michael Vick as a free agent last August.
When the Eagles exercised Vick's $1.5 million bonus last month, the organization faced a decision on which quarterback to keep and which to trade. Monday, on ESPN Radio's "Mike & Mike in The Morning," Eagles head coach Andy Reid said McNabb was not the only quarterback he considered moving.
"I can't deny there wasn't a choice to be made. There were things offered for Kevin," Reid said. "I thought this was the best deal here."
"I did not go into it saying Donovan was the guy [who would be traded] -- this happened to be the best deal for everybody," Reid added.
Kolb, who has started two games in his career, was enthusiastic about the opportunity to replace McNabb in a Monday news conference.
"I didn't even blink when Andy told me. I'm excited about it," Kolb said. "Sure it's gonna add a little bit of drama but at the same time it's gonna be exciting. This is gonna be a fun ride. ... I'm looking forward to it and I think this team will surprise some people."
Kolb became the first player in NFL history to throw for 300 yards in his first two career starts -- though he went 1-1 -- when he filled in for an injured McNabb in Weeks 2 and 3 last year. Kolb piled up 391 yards while trying to play catch-up in a 48-22 loss to the New Orleans Saints, then beat the Kansas City Chiefs the next week.
"Obviously we have a lot of confidence in Kevin Kolb to make this decision," Reid said on Sunday night. "No matter how you look at this, he is a young and upcoming player who I think everybody in our building has a tremendous amount of confidence in him."
McNabb Moves In
McNabb Redskins QBs
Pass yds. 3,192.5 3,350.8
TDs 20.8 19.1
INTs 9.3 14.1
Comp. % 59.5 58.3
Wins 8.9 7.0
Losses 5.0 9.0
QB rtg. 87.8 78.9
With Kolb now entrenched as the starter, Vick assumes the No. 2 role for the Eagles. Last year, in his first season since spending two years in prison for dogfighting charges, Vick shifted between second and third string. He completed just 6 of 13 passes for 86 yards and one touchdown and rushed 24 times for 96 yards and two touchdowns.
In an interview with ESPN's Sal Paolantonio, Vick said he spoke with Reid on Monday and he hoped to increase his role in the offense this year.
"Hopefully that [touches] will increase. I think it will, but I have to continue to be patient and wait for the opportunity to knock," Vick said. "I'm just gonna work out as hard as I can. I feel great. It's great to come work out this offseason with the guys and find out what I've really been missing. My body feels great. I'm ready to play."
Vick, who's due $5.2 million this year, is taking part in offseason workouts for the first time his career.
"I see how much of a difference it [workouts] can make," Vick said. "My legs have never felt the way they felt before and I have that burst back. My arm feels great and I'm learning upstairs."
Vick said he doesn't anticipate there being a problem splitting the workload between him and Kolb as the team gears up this offseason.
"It'll all be figured out. There's plenty of time to decide on who's going to be doing what and at what times," Vick said. "The most important thing for me is to stay patient. They'll [Reid and offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg] figure it all out, two smart coaches who know what to do. Kevin will take advantage of opportunities once he's out there and I'll definitely take advantage of mine."
Kolb said he learned a great deal on how to handle life in the NFL from McNabb.
Mike & Mike in the Morning
Eagles coach Andy Reid discusses why he decided to trade Donovan McNabb within the NFC East, the difficulty of making the deal and his expectations for Kevin Kolb.
"I think the one thing he does is he handles every situation that the NFL, the city, the media has put on him with a smile," Kolb said on Monday. "That's one thing that I noticed right away is, man, he's always in a good mood. That portrays well in the locker room because it doesn't show to anyone that that's affecting him, even if it is. He's real good about keeping that under his skin and making sure that everything is real smooth in the locker room. So, that's something I need to work on, I have worked on and will take from him as the starting quarterback."
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.
But McNabb played poorly in a loss to Dallas in Week 17 that cost Philadelphia a division title and a first-round bye. He also struggled in a loss to the Cowboys the following week in the wild-card game.
Reid said immediately after the season that McNabb would return in 2010. Reid repeated that several times throughout the offseason until acknowledging last month the team was listening to offers for all three of its quarterbacks.
McNabb then issued a statement saying he wished to remain with the Eagles, but understood the situation and hoped for a quick resolution.
It was not easy telling McNabb that he had been traded, Reid said on "Mike & Mike in the Morning."
"Listen -- we are friends and will remain friends and we had 11 great years together," Reid said of McNabb. "Unfortunately, this game moves fast -- it's a terrible, terrible thing to deal with as a player and as a coach."
But change is part of the game, Reid added.
"It doesn't last forever -- that's the problem. We all face it, we all know it's coming sometime, someplace," he said. "And then you kind of move on and the game moves on."
The Eagles were 92-49-1 in regular-season games that McNabb started and 9-7 in the playoffs.
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