The trade that sent Donovan McNabb to the Washington Redskins on Sunday night will close a chapter on one past deal and energize an already outstanding rivalry.

In 2007, the Eagles traded their first-round pick to the Dallas Cowboys to move back in the draft and eventually acquire quarterback Kevin Kolb. Now that Andy Reid has declared that Kolb is the starting quarterback for the Eagles, we will truly get to enjoy the fruits of that deal.

But Sunday night's blockbuster will make the Eagles-Redskins games must-see TV, as if any NFC East game isn't already, in 2010. The Eagles' past in McNabb will battle the present and the future in Kolb.

"I'm really excited about my future with the Washington Redskins," McNabb told NBC 10 in Philadelphia. "I am eager to work with Mike Shanahan. He's been a very successful coach, with a couple Super Bowl victories on his resume."

Reid admitted that the Eagles thought carefully about dealing McNabb to a division rival.

"Are they a better football team with Donovan? Absolutely," Reid said. "Again, we'll be there a couple Sundays with him and we'll see how things go at that time."

But Reid said that while taking into consideration McNabb's feelings, the Eagles had to do a deal that was best for this team. Even if it means sending a six-time Pro Bowl quarterback and the best in franchise history to a division rival less than 150 miles away.

"This is a decision that we thought was best for Donovan and at the same time the compensation was right for us," Reid said.

-- Posted by Chris McPherson, 11:45 p.m., April 4