DMN: Eagles bring back Trotter

QUOTE: “I'd like to be remembered as a guy who tried — tried to be part of his times, tried to help people communicate with one another, tried to find some decency in his own life, tried to extend himself as a human being.” -- Paul Newman

Jeremiah Trotter and the Eagles

APJeremiah Trotter will begin his third stint with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Jeremiah Trotter is back with the Birds to offer some physical toughness to the inside run defense that’s been missing since Stewart Bradley was injured in August. When I was in the league, I always believed you should never bring back an older veteran player you had waived unless there was a unique circumstance attached. For example, you cut a quarterback, and one you kept got injured, so it was much easier to bring back someone familiar with your system. I accept that logic, but for the most part, you waive a player because he’s past his prime and can’t help the team or isn’t ready to help the team.

When the Eagles lost Bradley to a torn ACL, it was clear they had no one on their roster who fit the mold of what the Jim Johnson defense needs in a middle linebacker. This defense requires the middle backer to be like a defensive lineman who can get downhill and won’t get pushed around. Joe Mays, the sixth-round pick in 2008, is short and smallish, nothing that fits the profile for what the Eagles want or need at their Mike backer. The Eagles always have claimed Mays is a tackling machine, but he wasn’t good enough to play on special teams as a rookie. Since the Bradley injury, I’ve been wondering -- how much of a tackling machine can Mays be if he can’t help the kicking game?

This injury leads to the Eagles bringing back an older player whom they’d already released, which must make the personnel department sick to their stomachs. Not because they don’t like Jeremiah, but because they were not prepared. Some might say the Patriots do to this all the time with linebacker Junior Seau, and that’s true, but the Pats paid a price for continuing to make this move -- they got slower and slower each time they resorted to veterans. Finally, this year, they said enough is enough.

For Eagles fans, the only question that matters is: Can this work? Does Trotter have any gas left in the tank to help our defense? Without seeing him work out, my first reaction is skepticism. The Eagles told Trotter he’s playing on first and second downs only, and in the old days that would be fine, he could handle the run. However, in the NFL today, there are only four teams that run the ball more in the first half than pass — Miami, Cleveland, Detroit and the New York Giants. All the other teams throw more than run, and this is where the Trotter comeback will find trouble.

Life is funny. When I was working with the Birds -- and really, the only draft I helped them run was their 1997 draft -- we selected Trotter, who at the time was viewed as an injury risk because of his knee. But after all the persuading done by the defensive coaching staff, the great Bobby DePaul (who’s now with the Bears), Bryan Broaddus and me, we got the OK from owner Jeffrey Lurie to make him one of our two third-round picks. Now, some 12 years later, Trotter returns for a second time.

Tyler Thigpen to the Dolphins

APTyler Thigpen gives the Dolphins another option at quarterback with Chad Pennington lost for the season.

I like this trade for Miami because Tyler Thigpen is a good-looking prospect who can make all the throws with ease and demonstrates enough athletic talent to move in the pocket. The reservations are that he’s not comfortable playing under center since most of his success in college came in the shotgun, so he’s struggled in the pro game. He tends to be erratic with the ball, losing the strike zone, but when he was in the gun last season and had Tony Gonzalez, he showed an ability to move the team. He had 11 starts for the Chiefs in 2008 and threw 18 touchdowns along with 14 picks. There was a stretch starting in November in which Thigpen started four games and threw nine touchdowns to one interception. He flashed skills that are worth developing.

The Chiefs are clearly building for next year as they try and collect draft picks to help rebuild a team that’s in desperate need of repair.

Mr. Secret and the Browns’ QB

Browns head coach Eric Mangini can keep a secret -- this we know. Which makes me wonder if that’s what Browns owner Randy Lerner saw in Mangini that was appealing enough to make him give Mangini another chance as head coach. What else could it be? Mangini made no one happy at the Jets, was tough for the players to deal with, was tough on the coaches and was tough on the organization, as his inability to communicate with anyone is legendary -- not only with the Jets but around the NFL. Nothing has changed since his move to Cleveland. The stupid fines, the secrets, the pretending to be like someone else, the lack of communication with the staff, the second-guessing have all surfaced on the shores of Lake Erie. What player is going to want to sign up next year for a chance to play for him? Since being labeled “Mangenius” and dining at Vesuvio on “The Sopranos,” Mangini is 13-22 the past three years and falling -- rapidly.

So I say keep your secrets, Eric -- who cares? After Week 3 of the NFL season, you’ve taken a proud city and proud franchise and put their team in those god-awful brown pants and destroyed their hopes for success. It’s not going to get better any time soon.

Happy birthday, Matthew…

Follow me on Twitter: michaelombardi

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