A strong showing by Mays would be cause for optimism.


After starting middle linebacker Stewart Bradley went down for the season with a torn ACL, most fans thought it would come down to a battle between Omar Gaither and Joe Mays to see who would be the team's starter for 2009.

It began that way, but when it became obvious that Mays was in over his head and that Gaither could not stand up to the beating that a middle linebacker must take, the job went to Jeremiah Trotter.

Then after Trotter came in and made it evident that his age and injuries had caught up to him, the Eagles decided it was time to swing a trade for Will Witherspoon. Brandon Gibson and a fifth-round pick later, we have the Eagles third starting middle linebacker.

Then, last week, we were forced to suffer through the fourth as Chris Gocong, while his effort was a valiant one, fell on his face in the MIKE position.

He looked out of place, confused, and clearly out of his comfort zone -- as well as his coverage zone.

So with Akeem Jordan still out with a knee injury, the Eagles are looking for other solutions to their middle linebacker troubles. As is the case with most chronic problems, the Eagles went back to square one and started over -- right back at Joe Mays.

Mays has taken the majority of the first-team snaps at MIKE, with Witherspoon and Gocong at WILL and SAM respectively. There have been other sets of linebackers -- most likely with Witherspoon in the middle and Moise Fokou also in the mix -- but the most prevelant has been Witherspoon, Mays, and Gocong.

It could either be a sign that Mays is finally getting acquainted with the defense, or just a sign of desperation from a team trying to deal with a depleted defense thanks in large part to unfortunate injuries.

Mays is from the windy city, so it would be fitting for him to get his first career start back where it all happened.