The numbers crunch at inside linebacker for the Philadelphia Eagles has reportedly resulted in promising young veteran Najee Goode being placed on the trade block. According to a report from Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Eagles and head coach Chip Kelly are attempting to trade Goode in the waning hours ahead of the Saturday deadline for NFL teams to trim their rosters to the 53-man limit.
Goode, talented though he may be, was facing an uphill battle to make the Eagles roster from the start. The team signed veteran DeMeco Ryans to a one-year extension, then locked up versatile 'backer Mychal Kendricks with a deal that will keep him in midnight green through the 2019 season. Kelly also traded for former Bills and Oregon linebacker Kiko Alonso during the offseason and drafted Jordan Hicks in the third-round of the 2015 NFL Draft for good measure. Goode seemed to be in a battle for his professional life with the likes of veteran Brad Jones, but Jones adds a positional versatility that Goode simply doesn't possess, as he's able to man both the inside and outside linebacker spots.
Goode, 26, is a former fifth-round pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers out of West Virginia. In 14 games in 2013 for the Eagles he racked up 21 tackles, one sack, one forced fumble and four passes defensed. He seemed slated for the all-important third inside linebacker role behind Ryans and Kendricks in Bill Davis' defense last year, but tore a pectoral muscle during the preseason and wound up on injured reserve.
Now, it seems that his NFL career will continue elsewhere.
