Taking Stock of Eagles Training Camp: Aug. 6th

Today was Armed Forces day at training camp, and many members of our military turned out in force to support the Eagles. Here is a brief rundown of who's stock is on the rise and who's stock is falling.

Stock on the Rise:

Jeremy Maclin- Maclin made several great catches throughout the day, even after being jammed by the likes of Jack Ikegwuonu and Asante Samuel. The young receiver also got in some reps with the first team today (in addition to returning punts), and was able to work on his rapport with Donovan McNabb.

Jack Ikegwuonu- Ike played some tough, physical football today, showing good jamming skills during one-on-one drills. In the highlight of the morning practice, Ike had an amazing pick of a Donovan McNabb pass, which he then returned for a touchdown. Ike has also been developing a mentor-mentee relationship with Asante Samuel, learning everything he can from one of the best in the biz. On a related note, Asante is making a serious bid for defensive leader this year with his mentoring tendancies and vocality on the field.

Jason Avant- Avant impressed today not only with his receiving skills, but his run blocking skills as well. He was not afraid to get physical. He also made several great receptions of Donovan McNabb's passes, keeping both feet in bounds on a fantastic sideline grab.

Josh Gaines- Gaines looked like a young Darren Howard today, taking reps at both DT and DE. He performed well at both positions, and was able to get several QB hurries throughout the course of practice.

Dimitri Patterson- The young cornerback continued to shine today, blanketing Kevin Curtis with his excellent coverage and jamming skills. He also proved his big play ability with an incredible diving interception during laterals practice with special teams. His big day earned high praise from Eagles reporter Chris McPherson, who wrote,

"Right now, if you were to ask me who the fifth cornerback is, it would be Dimitri Patterson."

Stock Falling:

Danny Amendola- With Maclin's arrival at camp, Amendola has seen a significant decrease in reps at punt returns to make room for DeSean Jackson and Maclin. Returning punts was one of the few things that helped Amendola stand out from the pack of recievers at camp. Barring another major injury (god forbid), Amendola's chances of making the final roster are now slim at best.

Macho Harris- Harris struggled in one-on-one drills, getting beaten by Jason Avant, Danny Amendola, and Kevin Curtis. Could the rookie perhaps be feeling lingering effects from his injury?