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 Mike Labinjo. |
PhiladelphiaEagles.com - He's a little more seasoned now, and with the right off-season ingredients, Mike Labinjo could play a significant role in 2005.
A rookie free agent out of Michigan State a year ago, Labinjo's stock has improved during the off-season as coaches see him as much more than a fringe player. Instead, he's being looked to as a player who can give them productive snaps from the line of scrimmage.
During the first mini-camp of his second season, Labinjo earned some high praise from defensive coordinator Jim Johnson, who said he was quite comfortable going to war with Labinjo at middle linebacker.
"Mike is a backup middle linebacker right now," said the straight-shooting Johnson. "I think that over the off-season, if (LB Jeremiah) Trotter didn't come back with us, we had a lot of confidence in Mike Labinjo. He might have been the starting MIKE, who knows.
"But, I think if something happened to Trotter -- he got a little nicked up a bit -- I think we could put Mike in there without skipping a beat."
Labinjo is having a fine off-season working on his strength and conditioning. The nervousness and uptightness he said he felt a year ago has been replaced with a confidence.
"It's reassuring to hear (what Coach Johnson said), to know that your defensive coordinator has that much faith in you to say that you can come in and replace our Pro Bowl middle linebacker," Labinjo said. "It's going to motivate me more to work hard."
Hard work is what got Labinjo to the NFL.
Labinjo earned a spot on the club's practice squad to start the 2004 season. He remained there for 14 weeks. Labinjo made plays on special teams after he replaced Jason Short, who suffered a season-ending injury. Labinjo also played pretty well at middle linebacker in those final two regular season games.
He recorded a career-high 9 tackles in the regular-season finale and earned 15 special teams production points from 'teams coordinator John Harbaugh. Labinjo added 4 special teams tackles in the postseason.
"It was a big opportunity," Labinjo said. "I think if I hadn't had a chance to play last year, I might be in the same boat in terms of the way I handle certain situations this year. I think I did gain some valuable playing experience. I think it will help me this season."
Labinjo's off-season has included a trip home to his native Canada. But it has also included four days worth of workouts at the NovaCare Complex.
"I like the way our program is set up right now," he said. "They hit every part of the body."
Now at 259 pounds, Labinjo has dropped eight pounds and his body fat has dropped significantly.
"I want to become a better conditioned athlete," Labinjo said. "I thought my conditioning last year wasn't where it needed to be to excel at this level.
I think they're doing a really good job of getting me very conditioned and prepared for (training) camp."Speaking of camp, Labinjo and rookie Matt McCoy and Greg Richmond will compete with Jason Short for backup spots at linebacker. The Eagles also have either Mark Simoneau/Keith Adams, whoever loses the battle for the starting weakside 'backer job. Seventh-round pick David Bergeron and rookie free agent Martin Patterson are also very much in the mix.
Labinjo welcomes the competition.
"I think the team did a good job of bringing in guys that are going to push some of the other guys," Labinjo said. "There's nothing wrong with good, healthy competition."
Labinjo is fast and instinctive and he's got a big-time motor. He made the club thanks in part to his ability on special teams. But he has gradually picked up the defense and is now well versed in the defensive scheme.
"I noticed a big difference from my first mini-camp last year to the first one this year. I felt like I was more vocal. I felt like I was more fluent in what I was doing," Labinjo said. "I feel like I got a year under my belt.
"I know the system a little bit better. I'm not as uptight or as nervous as I was last year. I'm just trying to focus on getting better."
Getting better includes time in the film room studying the tendencies of the quarterbacks and the routes that the tight ends and running backs run.
"I know what I'm capable of and I think that if I can overcome some of my tendencies I had in the past, I think I can take my game to the next level," Labinjo said. "I think I'm going to go into this more relaxed and more confident than I was a year ago.
"I like the situation I came into. It's kept me humble. I can only get better from here on out."