Najee Goode ‘happy as hell' to be back helping Eagles at ILB

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It’s almost like he never left.

Najee Goode, out of work when the regular season began, out on the street and unsure about his NFL future, found himself not only on the field Monday night when the Eagles faced the Giants but also playing critical snaps at inside linebacker after DeMeco Ryans pulled his hamstring in the second quarter.

At that point, the Eagles were down three inside linebackers: Kiko Alonso, who hasn’t played since Week 2 because of a knee injury; Mychal Kendricks, who’s played only 11 snaps since Week 2 because of a hamstring injury; and Ryans.

Enter Goode.

“You never know,” Goode said. “Anything can happen. Definitely anything can happen. I’m just happy they trusted me enough to bring me back and brought me into a great situation.

“It’s always next man up if somebody goes down and I’ve proved that in the past and just keep proving it now.”

Goode spent most of the 2013 and 2014 seasons with the Eagles, but after the additions of Alonso via free agency and Jordan Hicks in the draft, the Eagles released him as part of final cuts on Sept. 5.

He was unemployed and living in Philly until the Eagles re-signed him on Sept. 22, two days after Kendricks and Alonso got hurt.

“When we made the cuts down to 53, that was the hardest cut for us,” head coach Chip Kelly said. “That's why it took the longest, we were trying to figure out a way to keep Najee because we believe he's a National Football League player. I think he's shown he's a National Football League player.

“When we were a little banged up, we were just fortunate that (he was still unsigned). I don't why he wasn't picked up, but thank God he wasn't. But we have got total confidence in Naj that he can go in there and play. And he has and he's done it for a couple years here now.

“So it's a blessing, to be honest with you, that we have that depth at inside linebacker.”

When the season began, we were all curious to see how defensive coordinator Bill Davis would rotate Ryans, Alonso and Kendricks.

But when the Eagles blanked the Giants over the final 55 minutes and moved into first place with a 27-7 win Monday night, the inside 'backers were Hicks and Goode.

You just never know.

“You know, it’s crazy how everything works,” Goode said. “I know a lot of rosters had already been set at that time, but really the best thing worked out, just being back in a familiar city.

“The more I touch the field, the more I can help the team, the more I can continue to make plays. And all the other teams are just watching.”

Ryans didn’t practice Wednesday but hopes to play Sunday night against the Panthers in Charlotte, North Carolina. Kendricks and Alonso both worked Wednesday, although both are unlikely to play against Carolina.

Hicks and Ryans will likely start, but Goode will be ready for whatever he’s asked to do — play some middle linebacker, play special teams, whatever it takes.

“It just shows that he’s a true pro,” Ryans said. “He took care of himself, even though he wasn’t signed with a team, took care of himself, worked out, and when he got here, he stepped right in and we didn’t miss a beat.

“When I went down on defense, he was able to play well. Najee is a really good player.”

Goode, whose dad, John, played for the Eagles in the mid-1980s, began his career with the Buccaneers in 2012. He played in 14 games with one start for the Eagles in 2013, scoring a touchdown on a fumble recovery against the Giants, and then played in one game last year.

“The coaches trust me more and more,” he said. “Just get back in the groove and make plays. I feel like I can be a starter in this league.”

Goode said he was never concerned that his career was over when he went unsigned the first few weeks of the season.

“I knew something was going to happen,” he said. “It’s a long season. No matter where you end up, you’ve got to go out there and strive and push.

“If it wasn’t here, just keep my head up, keep moving forward. But I’m happy as hell that I'm back.”

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