NFL Notes: Gaither Has Big Shoes To Fill

A lot of eyebrows were raised when word got out around the league that the Philadelphia Eagles released veteran linebacker Jeremiah Trotter. 

Trotter faded down the stretch last season as his knees continued to deteriorate.  He wasn’t getting to as many plays against the run and has been a liability against the pass.  He dropped a lot of weight this past spring to take some pressure off his knees and was moving better during the off-season.  But Eagles’ coach Andy Reid was happy with the progress of his young linebackers and felt now was the right time to make the move.  The Eagles will miss the leadership Trotter provided.  He was a major component of the soul of this Eagles’ team.  But the Eagles still have the heart of this team – Brian Dawkins - and Takeo Spikes will be a solid veteran leader at linebacker. 

Omar Gaither will make a few mistakes with only five starts under his belt, but he’ll grow into the position as he gains more experience.  Gaither has good ball awareness and is often around the ball.  He’ll be active against the run if the Eagles protect him upfront.  And most importantly, Gaither provides good range against the pass. 

Vikings add depth at wide receiver: If healthy, former Packer Robert Ferguson can provide some help at wide receiver.  He’s very strong and has the speed to stretch the field, but he’s still a little unpolished in many aspects of the game since he’s lost a lot of development time with injuries throughout his career.  If Ferguson can contribute on a consistent basis, he’ll take pressure off rushing their intriguing rookie class of receivers into key roles this season.  Bobby Wade is their most accomplished veteran, but is just an adequate slot receiver with good skills after the catch, but inconsistent hands.  Troy Williamson has the speed to stretch the ball and has shown more consistency with his ball skills this summer.  Rookie Sidney Rice could be eased into the passing game – especially in red zone situations. 

Raiders try to bolster front four: A lot of people were surprised at the trade to acquire Denver’s Gerard Warren, but the Raiders view this as an opportunity to bolster their strong defense.  Rob Ryan loves to generate pressure with his front four and make plays behind the line of scrimmage.  That’s what Warren brings when he’s healthy.  Warren loves to shoot gaps and make plays in the opposing backfield.  Warren battled a lot of nagging injuries last season, but had a tremendous season in 2005 with Denver.  Terdell Sands and Tommy Kelly have battled to gain most of the snaps next to Warren Sapp, but neither is a disruptive player.  Sands is strong against the run and can clog the interior.  Kelly is versatile enough to play some tackle and end, but has never played up to his strength against the run inside.  Anttaj Hawthorne has flashed some natural instincts at times, but lacks ideal quickness, strength, and intensity to make a difference on the field.  The addition of Warren also gives the Raiders some options with Sapp.  Although Sapp is coming off a solid season and is in tremendous shape after dropping a lot of weight this past spring, he’s also 34 years old.  The Raiders are considering various exit strategies with Sapp.

Payne comes home: Seth Payne and the Jaguars are a strong match.  Payne loves Jacksonville and the Jaguars need insurance at defensive tackle.  Marcus Stroud and John Henderson are the strength of the Jaguars with their ability to shut down run lanes inside and protect their host of athletes at linebackers.  But Stroud is still working his way into form following ankle surgery and backup Tony McDaniel has moved outside due to injuries at defensive end.  Payne is a very strong interior player who can clog lanes inside against the run.  Payne can’t be counted on these days as a starter due to his injury of knee problems – including a torn ACL last October – but should be a solid backup.

Bengals lost pass rush depth: Losing linebacker Eric Henderson with a fractured wrist is a blow to the Bengals’ defense.  Henderson possessed a lot of natural pass rush ability and was expected to provide depth in their pass rush behind Robert Geathers and Justin Smith.  Henderson actually has more pass rush ability than Smith with his natural instincts and technique.  Jonathan Fanene could now have an opportunity to play off the edge in pass rush situations.  Fanene comes off the ball well and has upside as a pass rusher.  Unfortunately, Fanene is raw and hasn’t had enough snaps as a pass rusher to develop his techniques and moves. 

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