A Training Camp Stunner - The Axeman Gets Chopped

Wow...the Eagles just announced they've released Jeremiah Trotter....Wow...folks...that's just weird...I did NOT expect the Eagles to cut #54....He's was locker-room leader, and a real fan favorite....this is going to reverberate thru the Nest for a long time.

So who plays LB for the Eagles now? They have Takeo Spikes at WILL, 2nd-year man Omar Gaither at MLB and Chris Gocong at SAM. Those are your current starters....hmmm. I wonder - will the Birds move Gocong (who's got some serious size) inside and use 3rd-round pick Stewart Bradley at SAM?

Trotter fit the Birds. He did. The fans love the guy. He loves this town. I wonder if the Eagles will offer him a job with the organization or if he'll retire. (Much as I love the guy - he was horrendous in coverage last year, a real liability - he got torched by the Saints last year). WIP says he still wants to play - so I imagine someone is going to offer him a job.

Here is the question: Are the Eagles better as a result of this move? I cannot answer that. Not right now. Trot brought a fire and leadership to the team. I mean, he seemed genuinely psyched about getting to play with Takeo Spikes.

And he was very open about knowing he had to re-dedicate himself, because, again, last year was pretty friggin' bad. I think he'd shown he was committed...The move is not going to popular. Trust me, not popular with the fans at all, and question marks will emerge the first time someone rips off a big run up the middle (not that that hadn't happened, but you know how folks are - it'll be "Trot woulda stopped that"). Simple fact is, the coaches decided that Trotter just was not good enough to make the team. Its cold. Its hard. Its reality.

So what will the Eagles LB Corps look like: TKO, OG, Bradley, Gocong, and now, perhaps the door is wide open for guys like Tank Daniels and Matt McCoy....

This one is going to take a little while to digest folks. I don't think we'll understand the true impact of this move (good or ill) immediately. Its really a question that can only be answered on the field.

Before I sign off, I just want to say:
Thanks Trot.
We love ya man
Good luck in your future endeavors - hope you stick around the city and the team. A heart-and-soul guy like you can have a long and lucrative life-after-football in Philly, just remember that.