Eagles release Brian Rolle; sign LB Adrian Moten

They fall fast.

A little over a month after he lost the starting weak-side linebacker spot, Brian Rolle was waived by the Eagles on Tuesday.

Rolle's release was presumably in response to the Eagles' poor performance on special teams, specifically the kick return cover unit that was gashed by the New York Giants on Sunday. The team credited Rolle with one special teams tackle in four games.

Rolle said he was awakened Tuesday morning by a call from the Eagles informing him that he had been released.

"It is what it is," Rolle said. "I appreciate the opportunity. I don't have anything bad to say about the team. But I think I got stuck in a bad situation. They were talking about improving special teams. Kickoffs weren't good. It could be more than that."

Rolle started in the final 13 games for the Eagles last season. He recorded 63 tackles, a sack, and a forced fumble that he returned for a 22-yard touchdown against the Bears last November. Rolle opened training camp as the starter, but lost the job to Akeem Jordan after the third preseason game.

"I was a starter and then I was moved to special teams, something I wasn't used to," Rolle said. "I felt like I was productive on defense. I know our defensive in and out. If someone asked I could write the entire playbook out."

Jordan strained a hamstring against Arizona on Sept. 23 and Rolle replaced him. Rolle did not make any plays in relief. With Jordan out for Sunday's game against the Giants, the Eagles gave Jamar Chaney the start over Rolle. Two days later, Rolle, the Eagles' 2011 sixth-round pick, was released.

The Eagles brought back linebacker Adrian Moten, who was with the team during the preseason, to take Rolle's place on the 53-man roster. Moten was signed in August after the Eagles traded linebackers Moise Fokou and Greg Lloyd to the Colts.

The 6-foot-2, 230-pound linebacker played ten games for the Colts last season and two games for the Seahawks. He recorded seven total tackles last season, all with the Colts. Moten was signed by Indianapolis in 2011 as an undrafted rookie.

The Eagles also released long snapper Kyle Nelson from the practice squad and re-signed offensive linemen Julian Vandervelde, who was recently cut from the Tampa Bay practice squad.

Vandervelde, a 2011 fifth-round pick, was cut by the Eagles just before the season. The Buccaneers signed him to their 53-man roster and then demoted him to their practice squad before releasing him last week.