Posted: Friday, March 5, 2010, 4:56 PM | 68 comments |
 

Eagles release Witherspoon
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The Eagles released linebacker Will Witherspoon, the team announced today.

The 29-year-old Witherspoon was acquired in the middle of last season when the Eagles dealt rookie wide receiver Brandon Gibson and a fifth-round draft pick to the Rams in exchange for the linebacker. 

Witherspoon, in a text message to The Inquirer, said that he understood the move and enjoyed his short stay in Philadelphia.

"I'm cool either way," Witherspoon said. "But plans are to move forward like always. I can't say Philly wasn't a great place to be. Loved the fans and team. Who knows what the future holds."

Witherspoon is now an unrestricted free agent. A message left with Witherspoon's agent, Tom Condon, was not immediately returned.

Witherspoon played weak-side linebacker for St. Louis but was originally brought to Philly to play middle linebacker after Omar Gaither was lost for the season. Witherspoon eventually made it back to weak-side when Akeem Jordan got hurt. Jordan, a restricted free agent, received a second-round tender yesterday. It looks as if Jordan, who played some middle linebacker after he returned from his knee injury, will get his weak-side position back.

Witherspoon was also slated to earn $5 million in base pay this season. The Eagles said they released the 8-year veteran today, the first day of free agency, so that he would have the opportunity to catch on somewhere else.

 
Posted by Jeff McLane @ 4:56 PM  Permalink | 68 comments
68
Comments   
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 4:56 PM, 03/05/2010
    OOOOOh, we want to make the team WORSE! I get it now. Better be a Dansby on the horizon soon.
    — tpizza
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 4:58 PM, 03/05/2010
    wow so now our best linebacker is stewart bradley who is coming off an acl tear. just great.
    — davidm1886
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 4:58 PM, 03/05/2010
    Easy Jeff, articles like this with such tremendous insight will spoil the fan base.
    — The Reddgie
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 4:58 PM, 03/05/2010
    what reason do they have for that??
    — flyers0100
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 5:00 PM, 03/05/2010
    This is a weird move considering how weak at LB we are. I wonder what they got up thier sleeves.
    — ChrisM
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 5:03 PM, 03/05/2010
    But he was one of our better LBs... Make NO SENSE!
    — ChrisM
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 5:03 PM, 03/05/2010
    I hope it is a couple of good LBs
    — will69
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 5:04 PM, 03/05/2010
    That's weird.
    — dansdigs
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 5:05 PM, 03/05/2010
    He must have been making good money.
    — ChrisM
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 5:13 PM, 03/05/2010
    Wow! Im real glad we gave up Brandon Gibson for him...
    — BammBamm
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 5:14 PM, 03/05/2010
    Can we get Brandon Gibson and that 5th round pick back?
    — tornadoh
  • Comment removed.
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 5:17 PM, 03/05/2010
    crazy!
    — palmyra21
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 5:22 PM, 03/05/2010
    I am seriously concerned over the direction this team is heading. They BETTER have a WOW factor hiding up their sleeves for us dedicated fans.
    — crohnkiller
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 5:22 PM, 03/05/2010
    Yes, they keep McNabb who is well past his prime. Get rid of him
    — Bonzy22


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About Jeff McLane and Jonathan Tamari






Jeff McLane (left) began covering the Eagles in April 2009 after covering college sports and Penn State football in particular. Before that he wrote about high school sports and before that he worked in the mailroom (not quite). Find Jeff on Facebook and follow him on Twitter for instant updates on the Eagles.

Jonathan Tamari (right) began covering the Eagles in April 2010. He previously covered New Jersey state government and politics, reporting and writing about elections, policy debates and the many personalities that drive the Garden State, from three recent governors to the many musicians bidding to write the state song. He has been at the Inquirer since June 2008. Follow him on Twitter at @JonathanTamari.

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