Omar Gaither wanted to remain as the team's starting middle linebacker at the onset of the 2008 season. Stewart Bradley seized the reins and improved tremendously over the course of the season.
But when Bradley injured his knee on August 2, it wasn't Gaither who had the first crack at the starting job. It was Joe Mays. Even though he didn't start in the middle in a single preseason game, Gaither took over the first-team reps in practice last week and was declared on Tuesday by head coach Andy Reid as the starter for the season opener this Sunday in Carolina.
It's a watershed moment for Gaither. He made his first career start (at weakside linebacker) against the Panthers in 2006. He also hails from Charlotte, North Carolina.
"I'm looking forward to it. I never wanted to leave (middle linebacker) in the first place. I'm looking at is as an opportunity," Gaither said. "Guys are going to get hurt. That's your job if you're a backup. You're supposed to step in as almost as if nothing ever happened. That's what I'm going to do here. I get to step up to the MIKE if not as well even better.
"This is where I want to be so I'm going to do whatever it takes to remain here and that's what I want to do."
In 2007, Gaither led the Eagles with 170 tackles as he started every game at the MIKE linebacker position. The Panthers present a worthy test for Gaither's return. Carolina's offense returns intact after finishing third in the NFL in rushing offense last year and second in average yards per rushing play. The Panthers had 30 rushing touchdowns - first in the NFL last year - and only allowed 20 quarterback sacks.
"This is going to be a great test for our defense early," Gaither said. "They have Steve Smith. They have DeAngelo Williams, a good quarterback (in Jake Delhomme) who can get the ball to all of those guys. I think we're up for the challenge."
Gaither certainly expects the Panthers to test him early and often.
"They're going to test anybody," Gaither said. "They would test the No. 1 defense in the world if they were playing them. We expect them to come out and run the ball and we know that going into it so that's what we're going to try and stop."
-- Posted by Chris McPherson, 2:01 p.m., September 9
