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08-21-2007, 07:35 PM
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.
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 In the spring of 2002, Philadelphia designated him as a franchise player, and subsequently rescinded the tag, making him a free agent.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 of ESPN
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 of ESPN