Philadelphia Eagles Offseason Free Agency Guide - Part 12: Middle Linebackers
by Bob_Q on Feb 26, 2010 5:02 PM EST
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The trading/free agent signing period is fast approaching, so the Eagles front office will have to decide who they plan to pursue come March 5th. Over the next few weeks at BGN, we will be taking a position-by-position look at who we could see in an Eagles uniform come training camp. Today's position? Middle linebackers.
The return of Stewart Bradley this summer has the potential to breathe life into the Eagles' dying middle linebacker position. However, with Jeremiah Trotter and Omar Gaither likely headed for free agency and the young Joe Mays still learning the ropes, Philadelphia has every reason to dip into the pool of available middle linebackers. Here are a few that might help:
Larry Foote (UFA): Word on the street is that the Lions want to extend the 29 year old Foote's one-year contract, but Foote wants a lengthy extension that Detroit probably won't be willing to offer. However, if Foote is willing to take a role as a backup/mentor, he could find a home in Philadelphia. There's no guarantee that Stewart Bradley will be 100% come week one, and Foote would be a suitable option to step in and hold his place at starter. He is a proven producer who has led the Steelers defense to two Super Bowl wins.
Vinny Ciurciu (UFA): Although not a starter by any means, Ciurciu is a quality special teams contributor with a high motor. In his stints with the Lions, Vikings, and Panthers, Ciurciu was always around the ball, often ranking on or near the top in special teams tackle totals. He has also seen reps as an outside linebacker and a halfback/fullback, demonstrating a great deal of versatility. If the Lions are willing to part with the 29 year old Circiu, he could be worth the Eagles giving a look.
Gary Brackett (UFA): Should the Eagles decide they need a long-term replacement at middle linebacker, the 29 year old Brackett could be a great option. He is a hard "downhill" runner who is great at making plays at the line of scrimmage. He can also cover very well in zone defenses and has nabbed 11 career INTs. The Colts have already decided not to place the franchise tag on him, but still seem determined to have Brackett retire in blue and white. If the deal falls through though, the Eagles have a great opportunity to swoop in.
Other Available Free Agents:
- DeMeco Ryans (RFA)
- Barrett Ruud (RFA)
- Kirk Morrison (RFA)
- D'Qwell Jackson (RFA)
- Antonio Pierce (UFA)
- Paris Lenon (UFA)
- Stephen Tulloch (RFA)
- Corey Mays (RFA)
- Matt Wilhelm (UFA)
- Tim Dobbins (RFA)
- Ryan Fowler (RFA)
- Monty Beisel (UFA)
- Nick Greisen (UFA)
- Chase Blackburn (RFA)
- Abdul Hodge (RFA)
- Rod Wilson (RFA)
- Josh Stamer (UFA)
In the next installment, we will be taking a look at safties. Feel free to leave any suggestions on who to examine in the comments section. For more information on unrestricted vs. restricted free agents in a potentially uncapped year, check out this great article over at Mocking The Draft.
Previous articles: QB, HB, FB, TE, WR, OT, OG, C, DT, DE, OLB
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man how awesome would it be if we could get demeco ryans
"If I can get you to think twice, I'm in your head."
-Brian Dawkins
or kirk morrison for that matter
"If I can get you to think twice, I'm in your head."
-Brian Dawkins
I'll take Hawthorne out of Seattle
The kid was a stud for the Seahawks in the absence of Tatupu. They can’t keep 4 starting calibur LBs on the roster in their 4-3 system so it wouldn’t hurt to ask about him.
???
Why do people still utter the phrase, “..and there’s no guarantee that Bradley will be ready to go by week ONE,” when referring to Stewart’s recovery?
The guy got broke up the very first day of camp. By all accounts, the guy is in great spirits and health and walks around NovaCare with an eager bounce.
Hell, he’s probably ready to hit the sleds right now.
First off, he was injured on the last day of camp during Flight Night. Second, I didn’t say he wouldn’t be ready to play. I said he might not be 100% by week one. Sure, Bradley could be one of Route36’s next ACL success stories, but the fact remains that an ACL tear is a pretty serious injury and it has a good chance of affecting his play this year.
You missed the notice
Where Bradley is going to come back and be a Pro-Bowler this year. More likely he struggles a bit especially in the early going. Even Route36 list showed what was pretty common, guys can come back after 1 year but it really takes 2 years in most cases for the player to get back/exceed to what they were pre-injury in terms of production.
yess!
how come when i said this all month no one was on my side .. where were u macjack
by jack is better than asante on Feb 26, 2010 11:40 PM EST up reply actions
Where was I?
I have been saying it since the beginning of the season. Where you been? Route36’s post “ACL Tear success stories” was pretty much aimed at me bro (though it wasn’t meant to demean me and we are both cool with each other about it). I don’t hate Bradley, I get frustrated that people seem to think the loss of him is what brought our D to shambles when really, I see it was more of the loss of Dawkins. All the Stewart Bradley injury did was bring instability to the MLB position. Gocong and Akeem were never really that great to begin with. Akeem at least showed some promise to start but disappeared after the injury. Gocong was just a waste of time. As I had said, I don’t hate Bradley, but I really don’t expect much of him after this injury because its not like he was an offensive coordinators worst nightmare to prior to it. At best, in my opinion, he was serviceable.
Really?
There is no way that Dawkins loss was bigger than Bradley’s. Dawk is older and while he can still play, they had to cover for his issues. Bradley held down the linebacking corp and was a major player. “All the Stewart Bradley injury did was bring instability to the MLB position.” All? That’s a HUGE problem in the NFL is instability. With all the other injuries to the LB, without a constant strong player in there, it killed the defense.
Sorry, I love Dawk(obviously) but if we would’ve had Bradley our defense would have been leagues better. Can’t say that about Dawk.
Reid- Best Coach in Eagles History
McNabb- Best QB in Eagles History
This is the year
I am not down on Bradley
But LBs were the worse unit on this team as a whole and it wasn’t even close. Getting back Bradley certainly will help but that still leaves you right now with no starter on the strong side, questionable Bradley at MLB, and I guess an adequate starter at weakside in ‘Spoon. Even if they resign Jordan and bring in a starter at strong-side, I wouldn’t say this is a good unit. Hopefully competent which it wasn’t last year.
Like I tell everyone on the board
I don’t hate Bradley. I hate the fact that people make it seem like it was losing him that brought this defense down and thinking that he was this All-Pro to be. We don’t know that, but if I were to base my expectations off what I saw his first year as a starter, then I don’t expect to much. His first year, he was serviceable at best. Maybe he made a jump, but going onto say “he was the reason the defense went down” or “he was going to have an all-pro year” or “he was the reason we had the number 3 ranked defense” is just asinine. The year he was the starter and the 12 years prior, this defense was lead by Dawkins. No its, ands, or buts. This would have been his first year as the leader and we don’t know what to expect. But based off his 2008 year, I didn’t expect too much. Now he is coming off an ACL tear I really don’t expect too much because he was never jaw dropping in the first place. I can name nearly 20 MLBs better than him. Until he gives me and All-Pro season, I won’t expect an All-Pro. People may say I’m “underrating” him, but until I see the coming of Brian Urlacher on that field, I will continue to have low expectations. If he comes out and has a great season…awesome. I would like to be wrong in this scenario. I’m about what is best for the team. I’m willing to admit I’m wrong, but until I’m proven wrong I will continue to give a golf clap to Stew rather than sit on the edge of my seat.
true enough.
I guess I’m just hoping and expecting the best. He’s a middle LB and I just think that the important thing will be his presence less than his mobility.
Just because Donovan (or more accurately, his cheering section, used his knee problems from the previous year as an excuse for his typical flagging play) doesn’t mean Stewart will do the same.
I think he’ll be fine. Again, by all accounts, he looks great around the Complex. Whichever day he got hurt, it was still before August.
I'm still the most pessimistic one when it comes to Stew
But I won’t rain on everyone’s parade though. I still see us drafting a LB somewhere because this draft is too filled with them.
They need to
Given all of the FAs they have at LB, they are going to need to draft at least 1 LB even the lack of a starter at the strong-side position and almost no depth.
Brackett
Is supposedly off the list already as Indy is making a real effort to sign him early. I wouldn’t mind seeing the Eagles draft a strong-side LB in the 2nd/3rd round and pick up somebody as a FA either. Gocong is as good as gone and it will be interesting to see if the Eagles bring back any of their FA LBs (my bet is only Jordan is back next year).
i will say that losing stew wrecked our defense
its not that stew was the keystone to our D, but we had 0 depth at linebacker. We tried 6!! different starters at mlb. Agreed with wildeagle the loss of Dawkins is monumental when we don’t even have a stopgap behind him, but the broncos forced that one on us. Losing stew was the knockout punch for our defense.
Let’s not forget Jim Johnson either. He was the 12th and 13th man on defense. RIP
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