Joe Mays has been a disappointment thus far in '09.
Entering the 2009 season, it looked like Joe Mays would build upon an impressive preseason as a rookie and parlay that, plus another good training camp, into a backup role behind Stewart Bradley, a guy who many thought would be a Pro Bowl guy this season.
However, Bradley tore up his knee, and it was time for Mays to step in and take over. In only his second year in the NFL, he was vaulted into a starting role in one of the most complex schemes the NFL has to offer.
Unfortunately, that may have been his downfall.
It didn't take long to realize that Mays was not swimming, but was drowning in his attempt to learn this defense well enough to be able to run it on the field. Like the quarterback, the middle linebacker must know everyone's assignments and be able to call the plays and direct the other 10 men on the field with him.
As it turned out, Mays was having trouble knowing his own assignment, much less that of his defensive teammates.
So Omar Gaither, who had started at middle linebacker in 2007, would become the starter more by default than anything else. But at 6'1 and only 235, Gaither is just not big enough to handle the bruising running backs in the NFC East.
Three games into the season the Eagles recognized this and decided to bring back an old favorite in Jeremiah Trotter. He's the best linebacker that the Eagles have had this decade and should provide the size and skill that the Eagles need in a middle linebacker. Gaither will still get reps in the nickel package and on obvious passing situations.
However, this isn't about Gaither, or even Trotter for that matter. It's about Joe Mays and the great opportunity he has in front of him.
It's not much of a secret that Trotter and Mays are built exactly the same way. Mays gives two inches and 15 pounds to Trott, but really that's because Trotter is bigger than the average middle linebacker today at 6'1 and 260 pounds.
They play exactly the same way as well. They both fly around with a controlled recklessness that creates a lot of big-play opportunities and an intensity that reverberates throughout the entire defense.
Trotter, however, has learned how to fly around and make plays, but to stay within the parameters of the defense, which is a great lesson he can teach Mays. Of course, Mays will first have to learn the parameters of the defense.
Whenever there's a guy like Trotter in the locker room, everybody needs to listen to anything he has to say and pay attention to every move he makes, but for a guy like Mays, it's that much more important that he pick his brain and learn anything from him that he possibly can.
Unfortunately for Mays, his time to shine may have passed. However there is no guarantee that Bradley will ever be the same, so it can't hurt to prepare himself like he's going to be the starter next year.
