Linebacker puzzle

This Les Bowen article on Chris Gocong highlights the absolute mess the Eagles LB corps is. Takeo Spikes continues to insist that he will be playing weakside LB, presumably replacing Omar Gaither who was the only encouraging bright spot of all the LBs last year.

 

There’s a lot of talk about Gaither moving back to middle LB and restoring the big picture plan where he eventually replaces Trotter as the starting MLB. Is anybody else concerned that the 235 lbs Gaither is, uh, a little small to play MLB?He’s 30 lbs. lighter than Trotter. Gaither at MLB makes an already small defensive front seven even smaller. Why is nobody talking about this? Does anyone else remember the Mark Simoneau experience?

 

And then there’s strong side where Dhani Jones is clearly not getting it done (and in the process has become the most hated Eagle starter). Seriously, everyone I know has a strong dislike for Jones these days.

 

Anyway, Gocong is supposed to replace him. Caution flags have to be waved here because of 1) Gocong’s neck injury last year 2) he’s making the transition to LB from DE and 3) Heckert is now suggesting that Gocong could be moved back to D-end. Hello, ND Kalu! The Eagles ruined what had been a promising Kalu by shifting him back and forth from defensive end and linebacker. It didn’t work out well for the Eagles, either. They didn’t get an effective Kalu at either position.

 

Spikes gives the Eagles some options at LB – moving to the middle on passing downs, for instance. Maybe even playing some strong side if Gocong doesn’t pan out. But where he plays most consistently is the key to the Eagels LB puzzle. Here’s betting its not weakside.