Witherspoon Joins Team in Meeting; Set to Practice Thursday

A day after the former St. Louis Ram was traded to the Eagles, LB Will Witherspoon has finally managed to associate with his new teammates. Today he attended a brief meeting the Birds organized in order to familiarize the trade acquisition with his fellow Eagles, as well as discuss things that need to be improved following the team’s embarrassing loss to the Raiders in Week 6.

There was no word whether the rest of the club bonded well with Witherspoon (pictured) while with him at the meeting, but there isn’t much doubt as to the relationship they’ve already established. After all, after a veteran star player joins a team via a deadline trade, there aren’t usually many with a glum sense of feeling. Besides, if there were any seriously tense and negative moments at this event in Philadelphia, we would have already known about it.

Witherspoon is set to begin practicing with the team tomorrow afternoon, and has officially been given the jersey number ‘50′. For those that are interested, the 8th-year Linebacker previously wore ‘54′ early in his career with the Panthers, and most recently ‘51′. There was a reported negotiation that occurred between Eagles’ backup LB Joe Mays and Witherspoon for who would don ‘51′, and apparently Mays came out the holder of the number, that he has worn since being drafted in 2008. Witherspoon will also practice as the team’s starting Middle Linebacker, somewhat of a surprise considering he is a natural Outside backer and there was still confidence displayed in Omar Gaither (who is tending to an injury at the moment) and Jeremiah Trotter at the position.

Witherspoon himself was eager to comment on the entire ordeal, stating several things earlier in the day: “It means a lot to go to a team that is going to be great, or has the opportunity to be a contender,” “You have to understand that you have to do what’s best to make it in this game. I think going to a team that already has a couple wins under its belt and is already moving in the direction that I think, as a player, you’d like to be (moving in).” “I think (coverage) is one of my strong suits. Again, it’s one of those things I’ve always had to do, I’ve always had to be comfortable with, and I’ve always taken great pride in. I can go out and cover, I have to trust myself that I can go out and cover anybody.”

(picture source)