Les Bowen: Eagles moves for Witherspoon, Trotter seem a little desperate

Bottom line, if McDermott had a Dawkins, or even an Emmons, to buttress a makeshift middle linebacking rotation, we might not have seen a trade for Witherspoon. This isn't a bad Eagles defense, but it is young in spots. With Bradley going down, Dawkins' absence as a tackler, leader, and patroller-over-the-middle has resonated way beyond what management envisioned when it calculated it could afford to let Dawk test the free-agent market.

The unsettling thing about the signing of Trotter, as neat as it was to have Trot back in the locker room, was the scent of desperation that accompanied the move. Witherspoon is less of a shot in the dark, given that he has been starting in the NFL this season, but his acquisition shows a disquietingly high level of concern by management, nonetheless.

'Skins shuffle

 

Washington coach Jim Zorn detailed the new playcalling protocol to reporters yesterday, as his (?) team began preparing to play the Eagles. Apparently, to be involved in the chain of command, you have to be named "Sherman."

"Actually what's going to happen is, [offensive consultant Sherman Lewis] is going to send them down to Sherman Smith. I'm going to bring Sherman Smith, our coordinator, down on the field and he will relay it in," Zorn said. "They will be talking about how that will go. Sherman is pretty experienced being on the sidelines. He has been on the sidelines his whole career. I will be walking around and I will be listening."

Walking around and listening! Sounds like fun.

Meanwhile, quarterback Jason Campbell, back at the helm after being benched at halftime of last week's loss to Kansas City, sounded a Raiderslike note. The Eagles probably should be braced for a rally-'round-our-jobs effort.

"I don't know what it is, but guys have found that new energy and a new relief and relaxation - even talking to some of the coaches. Right now, for us, there is nothing to lose," Campbell said. "You've got to relax and just play the game and coach the game the way you want to, and just go out there and have some fun. That's the only way you're going to enjoy this. You can't go out there and play the game frustrated and worry about trying to be perfect every time. That forces you to think too much and not play up to your abilities."

Birdseed

 

The Seattle Seahawks have signed offensive lineman Mike Gibson off the Eagles' practice squad, according to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Gibson spent last year on injured reserve; before that, he was a teammate of DeSean Jackson at Cal. The Eagles probably will announce a replacement today . . . Birds begin their practice week today for the Monday night game at Washington; Andy Reid gave the team Tuesday and yesterday off following the trip back from California.

For more Eagles coverage and opinion, read the Daily News' Eagles blog, Eagletarian, at www.eagletarian.com.