The NFL Draft is where legends are born and rivalries are sharpened like a freshly honed hunting knife. Picture the tension of a John Ford Western—two gunslingers squaring off under the desert sun. This time, the showdown wasn’t at the O.K. Corral but on a league-wide landline. Eagles GM Howie Roseman, a man who treats draft picks like rare vinyl records, dialed up Commanders’ Adam Peters. The air crackled with the unspoken history of NFC East grudges. Think Cowboys–49ers in the ’90s, but with fewer shoulder pads and more spreadsheet magic.

More than a few heads were scratched when the Eagles traded their No. 32 pick for the Chiefs’ No. 31 pick. But now the picture is getting clearer. Roseman, ever the dealmaker, has built a reputation for being a fine proponent of the art of the deal. But Peters, the Commanders’ new architect, wasn’t biting. The conversation? A mix of camaraderie and cagey negotiation, like two buddies arguing over the last slice of deep-dish at a Chicago pizzeria. Only that it wasn’t really the last slice.

“Hey, buddy. How [are] we doing?,” Howie Roseman began the phone call with warmth, hinting at their annual dance. “It’s a tradition. I figure we should keep doing trades.” But tradition met a roadblock named indivision tax. The Commanders held firm at No. 29, snagging Oregon tackle Josh Conerly Jr., while Roseman settled for Alabama linebacker Jihaad Campbell at 31.

The stalled trade saga is revealed through a video posted on X by MLFootball, leaning into Roseman’s trademark wit during the draft day. “He (Peters) said there’s an indivision tax. He really didn’t want to do a trade with me,” Roseman revealed to his staff. So, divisional rivals don’t hand out favors. Meanwhile, Washington’s pick of Conerly—a 6’5”, 311-pound ‘total package’ tackle—signals their commitment to shielding QB Jayden Daniels.

“He went toe to toe with Abdul Carter, the best pass rusher in the draft,” Peters said, referencing Conerly’s duel against the Giants’ new edge menace. The Commanders’ war room erupted when Conerly’s name was called. Magic Johnson even tweeted excitement, “Commanders Nation I’m truly excited about our pick OT Josh Conerly Jr. from Oregon. Welcome to the DMV!” Meanwhile, for Philly, Campbell’s slide to 31 felt like finding a vintage Corvette at a yard sale.

Philadelphia’s gain? A hometown kid in Campbell whose childhood Eagles fandom runs deeper than a Bruce Springsteen bassline. “When I was on the plane, I was looking like, ‘Dang, I’m really back home.’ That’s when it hit me. I’m really excited to be an Eagle,” he said, though his limited minicamp participation raises eyebrows. But questions linger: Can the linebacker’s surgically repaired shoulder hold up?

And while Campbell’s story tugs heartstrings, Day 3 picks Myles Hinton (No. 191) and Cameron Williams (No. 207) face steeper climbs.

Sirianni and Roseman’s rookies: High hopes and hard truths

Hinton, a 6’7” Michigan tackle, shrugged off his late selection: “Everything is God’s plan… I think I expected to be picked fourth or fifth round.” Williams, a Texas lineman projected as a fourth-rounder, admitted, “I thought I was going to go second, third round.” Both now enter a logjam at guard, where Lane Johnson’s shadow looms large. “Wherever I play, I’m gonna be successful,” Williams said, channeling the optimism of a rookie undeterred by 7th-round odds. But analysts are split.

Pro Football Focus dubbed Williams a massive steal and for O-line guru Jeff Stoutland. NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein warned he’s “more mauler than mover.” Hinton, meanwhile, draws comparisons to Mekhi Becton—a towering project with raw tools. Their futures hinge on patience and Stoutland’s wizardry. But in a tight roster, would they be getting the place they crave?

That’s the question that would be haunting both of them. And it should fuel their performance in rookie camp and the team camp later in July. Besides, in the NFC East, every draft pick is a bet against the house. Howie Roseman’s gamble on Campbell could either fortify Philly’s defense or join the ghost of Marcus Smith II. For Washington, Conerly isn’t just a lineman.

He’s a declaration of war. As philosopher George Santayana once said, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” The Eagles and Commanders know their history. Now, they’re writing new chapters. Will Campbell’s shoulder hold up? Can Hinton and Williams outmuscle the odds? And will Roseman’s next call to Peters end with a deal—or another indivision tax? Grab your popcorn. The NFC East just got spicier than a Nashville hot chicken sandwich.