Jeremiah Trotter May Not Sign Until Week 2

Although most people seem to think Tampa Bay is his most likely landing spot, former Eagles linebacker Jeremiah Trotter still hasn't found a new home. What's taking so long?

It might be that no team wants to guarantee his salary, which is the practical effect of having him on the opening-day roster. From ESPN In$ider:

Trotter might wait another week or two before signing with a new franchise. The Bucs brought Trotter in for a visit, but he would have to go to Tampa Bay as a backup to first-year starter Barrett Ruud and perhaps as one of the inside linebackers when coordinator Monte Kiffin springs the 3-4 front he has been practicing in camp on opponents. But Trotter would prefer to wait awhile and see if a starting spot opens up elsewhere.

Eagles coach Andy Reid unwittingly didn't do Trotter any favors by acknowledging he suggested the nine-year veteran consider retirement before Philadelphia released him. Some teams have backed off their interest in Trotter because they figure if Reid felt he didn't have much left in the tank, that is enough for them. Look for Trotter, though, to have a home sometime in the first couple weeks of the season. And remember, most teams will wait until after the opening game to sign any "vested" veterans (players with more than four seasons of experience) who are released this weekend. Why? Because vested veterans who are on teams' opening-day rosters have their base salaries guaranteed for the full year. By waiting until after the opening game, franchises can avoid the guarantee.

In a strange way, this is an instance in which a rule designed to help veteran players might actually hurt them. If you're a vested veteran who's anxious to get with a new team, any rule that makes teams hesitant to sign you is a rule that isn't helping you.