The "Axe Man" Back in Philly?

Lost One · Sep 26, 2009

With the Eagles, one should always consider what they do, not what they say.

So when the team brought Jeremiah Trotter in for a workout on Thursday, the logical assumption was that the Eagles were not happy with their current options at middle linebacker.

Still, as was the case two weeks ago with offensive tackle Jon Runyan, the Eagles worked out a former player only to not sign him - yet.

"I haven't made any decisions on it one way or another, but I wanted to make sure that I had a pulse of where [Trotter] was at physically," coach Andy Reid said yesterday.

Ever since Stewart Bradley tore a knee ligament during training camp, the Eagles have struggled to find a replacement.

Joe Mays was given the first shot but couldn't hold the job down. San Diego castoff Matt Wilhelm was signed but eventually released. Even rookie Moise Fokou, who had never played the position, was given a tryout.

Ultimately, Omar Gaither was handed the position, mostly because he had played it before. He fared fine in Week 1, but the four-year pro was nearly invisible against the Saints last week, assisting on just three tackles.

"We just want to make sure that we have everything lined up in case you need to go in that direction," Reid said. "I don't like the questions at the last minute on what people look like, so we're trying to do that in advance."

How did Trotter, who hasn't played in two years, look?

"I thought he moved around very well," Reid said. "I think he felt a little bit better than what he did when he was here the last time."

In August 2007, the Eagles released Trotter after a successful second stint with the team. He had lost much of his burst, in part because of a troubled right knee, and the team went with Gaither.

Trotter ended up in Tampa Bay but hardly played, and was out of football by 2008.

"When I got released from the Eagles, it was rightfully so," Trotter said yesterday on WIP-AM (610) during a show he was co-hosting. "I really didn't have my explosion that I once had. I knew I needed surgery. By that time, it was pretty much too late."

Trotter had his knee cleaned out, maintained that he still wanted to play, and spent the last off-season training with Eagles cornerback Sheldon Brown and kicker David Akers.

"He's strong as an ox, I do know that," Brown said. "He was committed. He was a guy that pushed me in the off-season. He showed me that he was training to prepare for the season."

Trotter is still only 32 and has the type of run-stopping size (6-foot-1, 262 pounds) the Eagles lack in the middle. The 6-2, 235-pound Gaither declined to answer questions that had to do with anything other than the Chiefs, tomorrow's opponent.

It appears as if he'll have his playing time cut into by another No. 54. Tracy White, who wears Trotter's old number, has been increasingly running with the first team in practice nickel situations.

"They said they're going to give me a chance this week," said White, normally a special-teams contributor.
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http://www.philly.com/inquirer/spor...tes___Reid_keeps_options_open_on_Trotter.html

lol wow...

I love Trotter and all he's given us, but his knees are shot. He's pretty much done. Desperate times call for desperate measures I guess. Gaither hasn't been getting the job done, but I don't think Trotter, at this point, will be any better.

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The "Axe Man" Back in Philly?

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