DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum Eagles release 4-time Pro Bowler Trotter in surprise move

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Posted: 29 minutes ago
Eagles release 4-time Pro Bowler Trotter in surprise move
Associated Press


PHILADELPHIA -- Middle linebacker Jeremiah Trotter was released by the Eagles on Tuesday, a surprising end to the Pro Bowl player's second stint with Philadelphia.

Jeremiah Trotter, LB
Philadelphia Eagles
Career statistics
Seasons: 9
Games: 131
Tackles: 490
Sacks: 12.5
INT/TDs: 9/2

VIDEO: Trotter on film
Coach Andy Reid informed Trotter of his decision Monday night during an emotional meeting. Trotter was a fan favorite because of his intensity, big hits and candor.

"Jeremiah and I have been together for many years and he's played a vital role in helping this team win a lot of football games," Reid said in a statement. "He developed himself into a Pro Bowl middle linebacker through a lot of hard work and desire. In my mind, he will always be a Philadelphia Eagle and I'm sure he feels the same way."

Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie released a separate statement. "He has been such an important part of our success," Lurie said. "Jeremiah is someone we will always consider an important part of our Eagles family. He set a tone, a tone that was instrumental in our success over the years.” Team president Joe Banner added, “When you put together a team and you talk about intangibles, Jeremiah Trotter epitomizes what we strive for in a player.”

The team scheduled a news conference with Trotter for Tuesday.

The 30-year-old Trotter spent four seasons in Philadelphia before an acrimonious departure as a free agent after the 2001 season. Trotter spent two unsuccessful years with the Washington Redskins, but made amends with Reid and signed a one-year deal with the Eagles following the 2003 season.

He started the 2004 season on special teams but ended up in the Pro Bowl. He had been the starter in the middle since.

The Eagles drafted Trotter out of Stephen F. Austin in the third round in 1998. He became the starting middle linebacker the next season and set a career high with 202 tackles in 1999.

Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press



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Why did they release him?

His skills were on the decline, it became obvious last year.

BUT, he does fit the 3-4 mold.

And on the flip side, I know it's only speculation but I think he's had some "help" in his career, if you know what I mean.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/trainingcamp07/news/story?id=2984329

Eagles continue shakeup on defense by releasing Trotter
By Len Pasquarelli
ESPN.com
(Archive)
Updated: August 21, 2007, 11:15 AM ET
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Four-time Pro Bowl middle linebacker Jeremiah Trotter will be job-hunting in the coming days after being released by the Philadelphia Eagles on Tuesday.



Trotter

A nine-year veteran, Trotter was informed of his status in a meeting with coach Andy Reid. The Eagles suggested that the now-unrestricted free agent consider retirement, but the 30-year-old's preference is to continue playing in the league. Trotter's release will become official when his name appears on the NFL's internal transactions wire this afternoon.


"Jeremiah is one of my favorite guys," Reid said in a statement Tuesday. "There's no question that this is the toughest part of this job. He and I met about this [Monday] night and it was very emotional for the both of us. Jeremiah and I have been together for many years and he's played a vital role in helping this team win a lot of football games."

The departure of Trotter continues a shakeup to Philadelphia's linebacker corps. It is now likely that two-time Pro Bowl player Takeo Spikes, acquired from the Buffalo Bills in a March trade, will take over the middle linebacker spot. Spikes has primarily worked at the weakside position in training camp.

Eagles officials have worked hard to create depth and competition in the linebacker corps, and have a number of young players the coaches want to work into the lineup.

This marks the second time the Eagles have essentially released Trotter. In the spring of 2002, Philadelphia designated him as a franchise player, and subsequently rescinded the tag, making him a free agent. Trotter then signed with Washington, where he played two seasons before being released after the 2003 campaign.

In 2004, Trotter contacted Reid, with whom he had parted on shaky terms, to see if he might rejoin the Eagles. He returned to the team that brought him into the league as a third-round pick in the 1998 draft and earned a Pro Bowl berth in his first year back.

A former Stephen F. Austin star, Trotter is one of just four linebackers in Eagles' history to earn four or more Pro Bowl invitations. He joins Hall of Fame member Chuck Bednarik, Maxie Baughan and Bill Bergey in that select group.

In 131 games with the Eagles (1998-2001, 2004-2006) and Redskins (2002-2003), Trotter has 1,184 tackles, 12½ sacks and nine interceptions. He has notched 100 or more tackles in seven seasons, and 150-plus tackles five times, and had 202 stops in 1999.

Trotter has three years left on his contract, at base salaries of $2.635 million (2007), $2.72 million (2008) and $3.28 million (2009). His release was not a salary cap move, however, since the Eagles are comfortably under the $109 million ceiling.

Senior writer Len Pasquarelli covers the NFL for ESPN.com.

We already have old man McGinest, we don't need old man Trotter too.

personally, I think our Lb core is set... bringing in another guy will only delay the growth our our core and youth. I'm sure he has more gas left in his tank probaly 2-3 years but for us... it's not worth it.

can you imagine if Chicago signed him? woah... that would be a heck of a scary LB group.

I think he could will end up with the a team that is a playoff team and close to the SB

I could see cincy making an offer to him...

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And on the flip side, I know it's only speculation but I think he's had some "help" in his career, if you know what I mean.

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Help? As in Roids or some other enhancment type drug?

We dont really need him on our roster. We have young guys ready to play that need time to play. Bringing in Trotter will take that time away from them. Like many have said Willie is already here.

He'll end up somewhere. He's always been a "scheme" player who benefits from being in the right system.

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And on the flip side, I know it's only speculation but I think he's had some "help" in his career, if you know what I mean.

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I think if you throw something like this statement out there, you should back it up with something.

I wonder if the Ravens would be interested???

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He started the 2004 season on special teams but ended up in the Pro Bowl. He had been the starter in the middle since.

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This is an interesting quote...do we have anyone that fits that description? Maybe Williams or McMillian...maybe not.

Maybe Denver'll pick him up? :shrug:

J/C

Cinci would be a logical place. I think we will see us not picking up other teams cuts. I think we will see other teams scrambling for some of our cuts, and that is a good thing. Something that hasn't really happened since we got our team back.

Ill take our core of LBs. DL is the only position that we may be looking to pick someone up, but that may depend on how high the staff is on Harris, Murcelli and Pittman. IMO.