Preseason game 3 is upon us and it's the game where we should see the starters playing into the 3rd quarter. For the Eagles, there will be some notable returns to the starting lineup as well as som notable absences.

Reggie Brown will be held out of tonight's game after suffering a hamstring strain against the Panthers. With the news that Kevin Curtis is out, the Eagles do not want to take any risks with Reggie's health. The next time we'll see him is week one against the Rams and team sources are saying they expect him to be 100% healthy.

In the absence of the Eagles 2 starting WRs, Hank Baskett and Desean Jackson will start and Jackson is excited for the opportunity,

I'm just excited to get out there and start with the 1's," Jackson said. "It's a tremendous opportunity for me. I feel like I've been doing a good job getting in the playbook, getting with Donovan (McNabb). Being a starter is a lot different than being a backup receiver. I just have to go out there and put in the work. It's a little different because you're taking more reps and you have to go out there and go hard the whole time. When I was with the 2's, I was behind Reggie and I'd usually go in when the 2's go in there, but now I'm in there with the 1's and the tempo's a lot higher and I have to learn a lot faster."

Desean currently leads the NFL in catches so far in preseason play.

Also getting his first shot in the starting lineup, albeit at a new position, is Tony Hunt.  Hunt's impressive play on special teams is what has led the Eagles to try to find a spot on the roster for him at fullback.

'He's obviously taken more of an initiative to do well on special teams, and that's one of the main areas that we have to have our fullback able to contribute in,'' special teams coordinator Rory Segrest said.

Hunt feels the learning curve from RB to FB will not be that hard.

''The pass plays, you're running the same routes, and with pass protection, you're doing the same things, blocking the same way and blocking the same people,'' Hunt said.

Making his return to New England tonight is former Patriot Asante Samuel. Pats safety Rodney Harrison update fans on Samuel's mood these days...

"I talked to him the other day," Patriots safety Rodney Harrison said. "He's doing great. Wouldn't you, $60 million richer? He's doing wonderful."

Yes, I'd imagine if I was $60 million richer I'd be doing great as well. Asante will be in the starting lineup tonight and is expected to as long as the starters do. Against Carolina he started, but didn't play after the lightning delay because his hamstring had tightened up. As for the reception he'll get? Pat's Pulpit plans to cheer.

As for the Patriots, QB Tom Brady is not expected to play. Without him, the Pats offense has struggled

Without him, backups Matt Cassel, Matt Gutierrez and Kevin O'Connell have produced a total of just two touchdowns. Starting running back Laurence Maroney hasn't done much better, with just 21 yards on 13 carries in the two games.

The Boston Herald is saying that it's "a possibility" Brady could suit up tonight.

After the news this week, all of Philadelphia eye's will be on the play of our WRs... but as Pat's Pulpit says, the Pats DBs may be ripe for the picking after their performance against Tampa

Defensive Backs - Uhhm...Was this the "I'm in Jello" mime game?  Both Ellis Hobbs and Fernando Bryant were playing so soft I thought I was watching a Charmin commercial.  And the safeties weren't much better.  Granted, John Lynch was practically suiting up on the plane ride from Mile High Stadium, but let's show 'em school is in session with teacher's Harrison and Lynch presiding over the lecture.

Even though it doesn't count, it's always fun to face the Pats. So here's to a good game with NO injuries and maybe a Samuel pick off one of the backups against his old team?

Preseason game #3 for the Eagles is set to kick off in Foxborough, Mass Friday night and one team will see the return of a regular pro bowler while the other will likely have to wait.

Tom Brady said yesterday he's not certain whether he'll be sufficiently recovered from a right foot injury to participate in the Patriots' third exhibition game, which is Friday at home against the Philadelphia Eagles.

"I'm not sure. I'm not sure. I'm trying to get treatment this week and I'm feeling better every day," Brady said on radio station WEEI. "It's going to end up being up to coach [Bill Belichick] and what he wants to do, but I think he's been coaching long enough to understand that the first game in September is what's going to be important for us."

Brady hasn't taken a snap in the preason and his backups have been subpar to say the least. Downright bad would maybe be a better description... Frankly, given that it's preseason I'd love to see Brady back. Beating up on the likes of Matt Cassel doesn't really tell us much about our defense.

Good news for the Eagles is that pro bowler Shawn Andrews will see his first action of the year.

Andrews, who missed the last week of spring minicamp and the first 17 days of training camp while battling what he's called clinical depression, will start at right guard tomorrow, when the Eagles face the Patriots in a preseason game in Foxboro, Mass.

"Shawn is going to give it a go, and we'll just see how he does," Reid said. "We're going to try to keep good communication with him during the game and give him an opportunity to play."

"It means that coach Reid has a lot of trust and respect in me to put me back in there because it wasn't even a big deal to me because I know Max has worked hard this training camp and Max is a good player," Andrews said. "If Max keeps working hard, he's going to be a great player."

You may have heard earlier this week that Falcons' rookie QB Matt

Ryan signed a 6 year $72 million deal with over $34.75 million in guaranteed money, which is the 3rd richest deal in NFL history. He's never set foot on an NFL field and he is guaranteed to make more money than  Tom Brady, who wears 3 superbowl rings, and Peyton Manning.

If Matt Ryan is anything less than great, that contract could be crippling to the Falcons. It certainly appears that a top 5 pick in the draft can be more of a curse than a blessing...

NFLPA executive director Gene Upshaw declared that the player's union will "never agree to a rookie wage scale in such a short-career sport" that would help curb these salaries... However, it seems that Upshaw's declaration is the opposite of what the actual players are saying. Current NFLPA president Kevin Mawae spoke out this week.

"As a guy who has been in the league for 14 now going on 15 years and being around other veteran guys, for a young guy to get paid that kind of money and never steps foot on an NFL football field, it's a little disheartening to think of," Mawae said. "It makes it tough for a guy who's proven himself to say 'I want that kind of money' when the owners, all they're going to say is, 'Well, you weren't a first-round pick.'

"And I know there is sentiment around the league amongst the players like, 'Let's do something to control these salaries and control these signing bonuses' and things like that, and I know that's something that the owners are talking about and I'm sure that's going to play into this round of negotiations for this collective bargaining agreement," he said.

It's not just the old guys that are talking either... our own Kevin Kolb, just a year removed from being a rookie himself, had some things to say .

"It's too much and this has nothing to do with Matt Ryan as a quarterback, or as a person, be cause that is awesome for him. He's set," said Kolb, who is ex pected to begin the season as the Eagles' primary backup to Donovan McNabb. "It is also too much pressure. I was somewhat of a high pick and I'm still saying this. It's not like I was a fifth-rounder."

 

"There are guys in this locker room that may not make as much, but they deserve it more than the guys that are just stepping in off a college field," Kolb said. "It didn't take me that long to realize that once I got here. You should have to prove yourself, at least somewhat."

This next statement is probably a good indication of what kind leader Kolb might be one day...

"Here's what gets me," said Kolb, the former record-setting quarterback at the University of Houston. "There are guys that were rookies last year that played their butts off and they are not making as much as I am ... and I didn't do anything. That's just not fair. They deserve to make as much, or more, than I do until I go out there and prove myself. There can be a better system, and I'm sure eventually it will all even itself out and the guys that are suppose to get that money will get the money."

I'm never one to shed a tear for NFL owners, I think the real story with these rookie contracts are what these players are talking about. It's penalizing veterans and guys who have proven they can play. It may sound callous, but the players' union represents the interests of it's current members... not some kid playing in college right now that may make it to the NFL. Shouldn't Upshaw be working on behalf of the members of his union and not the potential members?

Reading the tea leaves here, I  think there's a pretty good chance that Upshaw could be pushed out as the owners and players try to work on a new labor deal. We know that would make JoeD happy!