Eagles finally find monster in middle with DeMeco Ryans

DeMeco Ryans wasn’t limping when he came to the podium yesterday at the NovaCare Complex. That was the first good sign. The green tie he was sporting was the second one.

“I’m excited about it and I’m happy to be here,” Ryans said. “I feel the passion here from the fans and the love in here from the city.”

Ryans, acquired by the Eagles for a fourth-round pick, is coming off a torn Achilles tendon in 2010 and a down 2011 season — at least by his high standards. Still, the team’s new starting middle linebacker claimed he is 100 percent and looked every bit the part of the monster the Eagles have been longing for.

“Let’s not put savior on it,” Ryans said.

But the word pretty much sums up what many are expecting. The Eagles haven’t had a legitimate man in the middle since Jeremiah Trotter left in 2006.

“I can sense that everyone has been looking for that middle linebacker, and I’m happy to be the guy that they chose to step in and be the middle linebacker of this defense. Like I said, it’s a perfect fit for me, and it’s what I like to do.”