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LB Matt Wilhelm (All-American, National Champion, Super Bowl Champion, OSU HOF)

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Matt Wilhelm, who played on Ohio State?s 2002 national championship team, seldom gets on the field as a Chargers linebacker, but he does play special teams. He?ll be a free agent after this season, which is of interest to the Browns, in that Wilhelm practices daily in a 3-4 scheme.

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osugrad21;653351; said:
Matt Wilhelm, who played on Ohio State?s 2002 national championship team, seldom gets on the field as a Chargers linebacker, but he does play special teams. He?ll be a free agent after this season, which is of interest to the Browns, in that Wilhelm practices daily in a 3-4 scheme.

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If he wants to start I doubt he'll come to the Browns. The Browns actually have a decent set of LB's. Noted I would love to have Wilhelm play for the Browns.
 
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ESPN

Agent: LB Edwards won't return to Chargers
Linebacker Donnie Edwards won't return to the San Diego Chargers for the 2007 season.
Edwards' agent, Tom Condon, told the San Diego Union-Tribune on Thursday that the sides have not talked and that Edwards would leave the team when the free-agency period begins in March.
"We're not doing anything [with the Chargers]," Condon told the newspaper.
Chargers GM A.J. Smith told the Union-Tribune that the team had sent Condon a letter two days after its playoff loss to the New England Patriots saying that Edwards was not in its plans.
"What Tom Condon told you is correct," Smith said. "Donnie will not be part of the San Diego Chargers this year."
Smith's comments were his first about Edwards since July 31. According to the Union-Tribune, Smith, who said he hasn't contacted the agents of any other potential free agents, had tired of Edwards' attempts to rework his contract and had made the linebacker available for a trade last April. The Chargers and New Orleans Saints were close to a deal last summer.
"It has become crystal clear to me that Donnie is very unhappy with his contract and has been for a few years," Smith said in June. "We have always appreciated Donnie Edwards' playing ability, and we believe he is well-compensated. However, because of his unhappiness we will do everything possible to find him a new team -- a team that will appreciate him the way he would like and will compensate him with an amount that will make him very happy and content."
Edwards led the Chargers in tackles each of the past five seasons and lead all NFL linebackers with 17 interceptions since 2002.
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Get ready Matt! Your time has come.
 
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Chargers | Wilhelm inherits Edwards job
Thu, 5 Apr 2007 21:43:11 -0700

Kevin Acee, of the San Diego Union-Tribune, reporting for the Sporting News, reports San Diego Chargers LB Matt Wilhelm is faster and more physical than former LB Donnie Edwards (Chiefs), but may not be the coverage man Edwards was. He will get his chance to start this year and replace the fan-favorite Edwards.

http://www.kffl.com/hotw/nfl
 
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Buckskin86;805741; said:
Chargers | Wilhelm inherits Edwards job
Thu, 5 Apr 2007 21:43:11 -0700

Kevin Acee, of the San Diego Union-Tribune, reporting for the Sporting News, reports San Diego Chargers LB Matt Wilhelm is faster and more physical than former LB Donnie Edwards (Chiefs), but may not be the coverage man Edwards was. He will get his chance to start this year and replace the fan-favorite Edwards.

http://www.kffl.com/hotw/nfl
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Sweet. Go get 'em Matt.
 
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Taking over II
Edwards is gone. Matt Wilhelm's career has begun in earnest.
Wilhelm is entering his fifth NFL season since the Chargers made him a fourth-round pick in 2003. To this point, he has been a seldom-used backup and a good special teams player.

Awarded with a new five-year contract last December, Wilhelm is now charged with replacing Edwards, who led the team in tackles each of the past five seasons and led the team in interceptions twice. Wilhelm is 25 pounds heavier than Edwards and 2 inches taller. He will be more physical. The question is how savvy he can become and how quickly.
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SignOnSanDiego.com > San Diego Chargers -- Chargers: No help needed?
 
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33079_282wh.jpg


Coaches impressed with Wilhelm?s efforts
Thursday, Aug 02, 2007
By Casey Pearce, Chargers.com

A drop step, a quick read and another pass defended. While it was simply another play during a 7-on-7 drill Thursday afternoon, it was one that brought a huge smile to the face of Inside Linebackers Coach Ron Rivera and led to a big pat on Matt Wilhelm?s back.

?He?s developing the feel for what he needs to do,? Rivera said. ?He?s starting to show the understanding of not only the defense that we?re playing but what the offense is trying to do against us. That?s very important in terms of your development as a player.?

Training camp has provided Wilhelm with the one thing he?s really needed in order to make a significant step forward: a substantial amount of snaps with the first team defense. Wilhelm has been around the ball and been very vocal on the field.

?He just needs to get reps,? Rivera said. ?He hasn?t played a lot on defense. He?s played sparingly in certain situations. As he gets more and more practice time, he?ll get a better feel for what we?re doing. I?ve seen that in our first week of camp.?

The little things such as the plays he?s made on the ball in 7-on-7 have been a confidence builder for Wilhelm and helped him see that he?s gotten where he?s supposed to be. As he enters his first year as an NFL starter, the Chargers will count on Wilhelm to play a key role in their defense, which is something he?s looking forward to.

?I?m going to be a playmaker,? Wilhelm said. ?I?m going to make plays. I?m being tested every day in practice. There?s nothing more you can ask for, playing opposite of LT, Antonio Gates and Philip Rivers. To work against them every day is extremely helpful for me as a player. It?s been a good week and I?m looking forward to continuing to grow as we move forward.?

If you want to find Wilhelm between plays of practice, simply look for Rivera. The fifth-year pro is never far from his position coach, whom he has already forged a strong relationship with.

?Coach Rivera?s rap sheet is extremely long,? Wilhelm said. ?He played in a Super Bowl as a player and coached in one as well. He?s worked with Pro Bowlers and guided the number one defense in the league. Any little small tidbit he can give me to help me become a more complete football player, I?m going to eat it up.?

Chargers Head Coach Norv Turner has been impressed with Wilhelm?s play but also recognized the enthusiasm he and fellow inside linebacker Stephen Cooper have shown.

?I think the biggest thing is that they?re sure thrilled about the opportunity (to start),? Turner said. ?Watching them and talking to them you can see that. There are certain times you get a great opportunity and they?re going to make the most of it. They?re both very, very serious about what they?re doing. They?re working very, very hard mentally. I expect both of them just to grow and take off mentally as they get to play more.?
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Chargers.com - News ? Headlines ? Coaches impressed with Wilhelm’s efforts
 
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Injured Wilhelm could miss most of preseason

By: MIKE SULLIVAN - Staff Writer

SAN DIEGO ---- Matt Wilhelm has been eagerly awaiting that initial opportunity to run out on the football field as part of the Chargers' first-team defense.

He'll now be waiting even longer.

The inside linebacker will miss Sunday's exhibition game against Seattle because of a strained right calf muscle. It's possible that the injury that occurred Thursday could sideline Wilhelm through most of the preseason.


"Hopefully it is a week-to-two-week injury," coach Norv Turner said Friday. "I think there is some concern that it might be a three-to-four week injury. I don't want to jump the gun on that; that's something we'll know better in a couple of days."

Wilhelm injured the calf during a one-on-one drill and missed the rest of Thursday's practice. He was wearing a boot Friday to help alleviate pressure on the calf.

He's optimistic that he will be sidelined no more than two weeks and promised to rehab the calf as ardently as possible.

While the length of time he'll miss still needs firming up, it was immediately clear to Wilhelm that the timing of such an injury is far from a worst-case scenario.

"Having it happen now is so much more in my favor and in our favor than in having it happen closer to September," Wilhelm said.

Yet that doesn't lessen the pain of being a spectator against the Seahawks. Wilhelm is one of three new defensive starters ---- linebacker Stephen Cooper and safety Clinton Hart are the others ---- on a team with Super Bowl aspirations.

"It is disappointing," Wilhelm said. "It's my first opportunity to really have a stronghold at this position. I really wanted to go there for this debut with this defense, with Coop and myself on the inside and Clinton starting at safety.

"I was very, very excited. I was very prepared and looking forward to the opportunity to play in front of these fans who I've wanted to start in front of for so long."
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North County Times - Chargers - Injured Wilhelm could miss most of preseason
 
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