When this happened , it was a sure sign that this was inevitable...

Dan Klecko is a fullback no more. At Monday's OTA, Klecko was moved back to defensive tackle, which is where he will now play.

Klecko was signed by the Eagles in March to play fullback on a full-time basis for the first time in his career. However, when the Eagles acquired Klecko's former teammate in Indianapolis, Luke Lawton, on Friday for a conditional draft pick, Klecko went back to a more familiar post.

Obviously the Eagles saw that Klecko, even without pads, was not moving well enough to actually play fullback full time. Good news for Klecko is that the 4th(and likely final) DT spot is basically wide open. Patterson, Bunkley, and Laws are all locks but any number of guys could win that final DT slot and Klecko will have as good a shot as any.

I suppose if he did make the team, there's a chance he could still play a goal line FB role like Nick Cole did last year.

Bob Grotz in the Delco Times talked about Lawton's versatility.

Lawton can play running back and H-back as well as special teams. He also can long-snap and even return kickoffs, having clocked a 4.52 in the 40-yard dash at 240 pounds a few years ago at his pro day, according to his recollection.

The ability to long snap is interesting. As nice a guy Dorenbos is, I've said several times how I think he's basically a wasted roster spot because he does nothin

g outside of long snapping. At least back when we had Mike Bartrum he was a pretty good red zone TE. I'd love it if a guy like Lawton who might be able to make some sort of contribution elsewhere could win the long snapping job.

The conclusion most of us came to when the this trade came down was that the Eagles must not be overly impressed with Dan Klecko as a FB. It seems he may have gotten the same impression.

Maybe that was why Klecko didn't seem particularly eager to discuss the matter with reporters yesterday.

"He's a good player . . . works real hard, good guy in the locker room," Klecko, a former Temple star as a d-lineman, said of Lawton

Klecko was asked whether adding Lawton would make the fullback situation a bit crowded.

"I don't know. You'll have to ask coach [Andy] Reid," he said.

Klecko repeated the same answer when asked whether anyone had expressed dissatisfaction with the fullbacks.

The other guy vying for the FB spot, Jason Davis, didn't seem all that upset.

"You got to get yourself an opportunity if somebody goes down, or if something doesn't work out, you have a backup plan," he said. "It ain't no slap in the face to myself or Klecko or Jedediah (Collins). Another guy coming, we're going to teach him the offense and get him ready, and we're all gonna compete."

I'm not sure what the "conditional" draft pick trade for Lawton was, but my guess is that if he doesn't make the team that it's possible no picks change hands.

After checking out the minicamps, GCobb doesn't think Dan Klecko can be a full time fullback.

I hope the Dan Klecko as a fullback idea is more about saving a roster spot more than anything else.  You can't be serious to think that this guy is worth keeping as solely a fullback. He'll be effective as a blocker on short yardage and goalline but you shouldn't use up a roster spot for that. He doesn't have a skills to be a total fullback. If they're thinking he'll be able to help out as a fullback and defensive tackle then I see what they're talking about, but not as a fullback alone. The kid has a refridgerator on his back when he runs.

Kris Wilson is glad to be back at his tight end, where he feels he belongs...

"I was the backup fullback, so when the fullback went down, I was the next guy in,” he said. "So I played fullback.”

He says the word — fullback — with obvious disdain.

"I play tight end,” said Wilson, who signed a three-year deal worth $3.2 million. "I played tight end in college. I was drafted as a tight end. Even when I was playing fullback, I was still practicing tight end.”

And with the Eagles, once again, he's a tight end. Exclusively.

"I have a lot to show at tight end,” he said. "My hat goes off to Tony, he's a great player. We had a good relationship. He pushed me and I pushed him. ... But my opportunities have been limited up to this point.”

Hank Baskett is hooked on hockey.

"On TV, it’s not that interesting. But when you get to go and see it in person – oh man,” Baskett said. "The guy had two seats behind the goalie right up against the glass, and I was sitting there. I looked away for like two seconds, and they hit a slap shot. I almost jumped over the glass. I swear I saw someone’s face like mold into the glass.”

Baskett picked a good season to start following the Flyers. He attended all but one home playoff game – the lone playoff victory over the Penguins.

"Now that I've seen it in person, I can watch it on TV. People have explained the rules to me,” Baskett said. "Next year, I'm going all season long. I’m getting season tickets.”

Finally, some Eagles cheerleaders are headed to Iraq. Not to fight...

A troop of Philadelphia Eagles cheerleaders is heading overseas for a 12-day tour of duty. The select group will be swapping the football field for the battlefield as they head to Iraq in support of the troops.

While the entire squad of 38 cheerleaders wanted to join the mission, five select members were chosen to perform a special routine for troops currently serving in the Middle East.

Apparently, one of the Eagles cheerleaders may well end up fighting in Iraq one day...

But Rachel Washburn has no fears as she is a ROTC cadet who is preparing for Airborne school in the summer.

"This a dream come true to be able to go to Iraq and really give something back to the troops, a family that I am going to be part of in a couple of years, I am just so glad to experience it from this end," Rachel Washburn said.