Admitting he was "caught a little off guard" when he got the news of being traded to the Eagles right before the league's trade deadline, LB Will Witherspoon nonetheless said he was excited to go from a last-place team to a contender.

Witherspoon will start at middle linebacker for the Eagles. He played that position for the Rams in his first two years with the team before being switched this season to the weak side, which is where he played his first four years in the league with the Panthers. He fills the Eagles' need for a coverage linebacker.

“I am definitely comfortable (at middle linebacker),” Witherspoon said Tuesday by conference call. “It’s never bothered me when I was lighter or heavier (than 240 pounds); I just want to be out on the field making plays.

“I think coverage is one of my strongest suits. It’s always something I have taken great pride in: that I can go out and cover any guy they need me to.”

Omar Gaither suffered a foot injury on Sunday, and head coach Andy Reid said that it didn't look like Gaither "would be able to go for a while." Jeremiah Trotter has not performed very well since rejoining the team, and the MLB position has been a problem since Stewart Bradley went down with a season-ending injury in the preseason.

“One thing, (Witherspoon) can play both ‘Mike’ and ‘Will’ (linebacker),” Reid said. “He’s a three-down linebacker, and very good at both, He gives us a good cover linebacker.”

In dire need of help at wide receiver, the Rams landed the promising Brandon Gibson, who had a big preseason and surprised some by cracking a deep WR rotation in Philly. Gibson, a sixth-round draft pick this year, figures to work his way quickly into a Rams WR rotation that is short on manpower. After Rams No. 1 WR Donnie Avery went out with a hip injury in the team’s loss to Jacksonville in Week Six, the Rams were left with only three wideouts — Keenan Burton, Danny Amendola and the recently re-signed Tim Carter.

Reid admitted it was tough to give up a promising, young player such as Gibson.

“Listen, I kept him on the (roster from the start of the season),” Reid said. “Normally I don’t keep that many (receivers). I think that speaks for itself. I think he is going to have a great career in the NFL.”

Potential candidates to replace Witherspoon in the starting lineup for the Rams presumably include Larry Grant, who was the backup on the strong side to Paris Lenon, and Chris Chamberlain, who was listed as Witherspoon’s weak-side backup on the Rams’ depth chart.

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