DeMeco Ryans ready to strengthen Philadelphia Eagles’ defensive unit – NFL News
Soon after joining Philadelphia Eagles after being traded by Houston Texans, linebacker, DeMeco Ryans has said that he is ready to provide support to his new team’s defensive unit.
He made these remarks on Wednesday, March 21, 2012, while talking to media representatives.
Eagles’ head coach, Andy Reid, had earlier said that Ryans’ inclusion in the line-up will provide a boost to the defensive unit.
Since starting his professional National Football League (NFL) career in 2006 with Texans, Ryans has been playing as the starter and is supposedly going to assume that role in the new team as well.
He is a two-time Pro Bowler and Eagles certainly are expecting a lot from him. Ryans said that he would try to live up to the expectations and be ‘myself’.
He commented:
"I’m happy to be the guy that they chose to step in and be the middle linebacker of this defence. I’m just looking to step in and do my job. How the fans view it or not, I’m going to be myself and do what I do on the field. I’m not going to be someone that
I’m not and I’m just going to continue to be myself."
Ryans’ trade was somewhat surprising for many observers and his former teammates as well. The player himself acknowledged that he was slightly taken aback by the news of his trade, but stressed that the new team is a perfect fit for him.
He said:
"I was excited about that because I know how good this team was in previous years and last year. I've gone down the road there and I knew I was coming to a good team.”
Eagles finished the last NFL season with eight victories and eight defeats and could not qualify for the playoffs even though they were one of the favourites to win the National Football Conference (NFC) championship.
They are hoping to meet those expectations in the next season by once again acquiring some star players.
Meanwhile, Eagles’ rookie linebacker, Brian Rolle, who wears jersey number 59, has said that he is willing to compromise the jersey if Ryans is interested in wearing it.
Rolle was of the view that Ryans is a player of high calibre and he would be happy to hand over his jersey.
Tags: