*Throat clear* First, injuries *cough*
Good news on the injury front as Chris Clemons returns to practice, rookie DE Bryan Smith makes his first appearance on the field after getting over a strain, and the word on Asante Samuel is that he could be back by the weekend.
Na Brown Award - A new contender emerges
So far the darlings of the 2008 camp seem to be RB Lorenzo Booker who has put on a show with his speed and arsenal of moves and WR Jason Avant who caught anything thrown in his general direction. However, neither really qualify for the Na Brown award since Avant was already here and Booker was higher pick. There is one guy who is turning heads, and being a 4th round pick like Na himself Quintin Demps just may get the prize.
Demps was advertised as a "ballhawk" coming out of school having led the nation in interceptions. So far in camp he's done nothing to disprove that moniker. Demps has had more than one "pick 6" and excelled in practice again yesterday
Earlier, Booker dazzled rookie safety Quintin Demps after making a catch, but Demps had a pick and a "sack'' in the same sequence. Andy Reid noted that Demps has shown the same nose for the ball that led the Eagles to draft him.
Demps has been working as both a safety and a corner in camp and has left Andy Reid impressed
"You can see that he had a lot of interceptions in college, and you always want to see if that carries over to the pro game," Reid said yesterday. "In these practices, you see him getting his hands on the ball and making catches."
Not everyone's hands are impressing
Free agent TE Kris Wilson was advertised as a good player who was both misused in Kansas City and stuck behind a future hall of famer in Tony Gonzales. Out of Tony G's shadow and back at his natural position TE Wilson was going to challenge for a starting job with LJ Smith on just a one year deal... So far, Wilson has failed to impress.
Wilson was given a chance to make the roster and possibly build himself a future because Smith is on a one-year contract. But like so many passes over the last two weeks, it may have already slipped through his fingers.
"Obviously, nobody wants to drop the ball, but that's part of the game," Wilson said Thursday. "That's something that you constantly work on. Every day you come out and tell yourself to try to have a perfect day.
"You don't want to have any balls on the ground, but from time to time, it happens."
Reports from camp make it fairly clear that Wilson has slipped behind both Celek and Wilson on the depth chart at TE. In all likelihood the Eagles will only keep 3 TEs, so at this point Wilson looks like the odd man out.
Westbrook contract situation
Andy Reid was asked in his press conference if there was any news on the Westbrook negotiations and there was not. However, one Eagles rival feels like Westbrook is worth everything he wants.
"To be completely honest with you," Umenyiora said, "if Philadelphia really understood his value to that team, they would never even have allowed him to get upset with his contract. You take Westbrook off that team and nobody would fear them. I don't think they truly understand that.
"He should be one of the highest-paid players in the league. Period. I'm not saying this as a friend of his. I don't even know the guy that well. I'm just saying it because it's the truth."
I think they understand it just fine Osi...
Quote of the day
Andy Reid was asked how entering his 10th year as coach he maintains his energy level and enthusiasm for the job?
"I change my diet," he said.
What are you eating? "Too much."