The injury to Eagles middle linebacker Stewart Bradley has really cost the Birds.
They severely miss the big middle linebacker’s versatility.
Bradley is big enough to play the run against the Giants, Cowboys and Redskins but also fast enough to run with running backs and tight ends in pass coverage.
Amazlingly Bradley, who is about 6’4″ and 255 lbs., is just as good in pass coverage as he is in stopping the run.
He is a rare athlete who can mix it up with the lineman and change directions with some of the quickest tight end and running backs in the league.
His athleticism has amazed me and I know it has amazed the Eagles.
He hasn’t been easy to replace.
Initially they gave second-year middle linebacker Joe Mays a shot at the starting job. when that didn’t work they gave the job to veteran Omar Gaither, but they could see that he wasn’t big enough, so they decided to have him split time with Jeremiah Trotter and now Will Witherspoon is the choice.
The Witherspoon move was an emergency trade which the Birds made yesterday.
The trade deadline was nearing and they had to get something done at the middle linebacker spot.
Gaither’s foot is hurting and the Eagles need middle linebacker who can run and cover tight ends and running backs.
They thought Trotter would be able to help them stop the run, but they also knew he would be a problem on pass coverage, but they didn’t know his weaknesses would be exposed, so quickly and effectively.
Enter veteran middle linebacker Witherspoon. He’s not the most physical linebacker but he’s a great athlete who will have no trouble covering tight ends and running backs.
He’s about ten pounds heavier than Gaither, which will make him more effective against the run.
The Eagles acquired him for rookie wide receiver Brandon Gibson and a fifth round pick.
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch says Witherspoon will start for the Eagles at middle linebacker this Monday night against the Redskins. He knows the system because he’s been playing for former Eagles linebacker coach Steve Spagnolo in St. Louis.
