Signing Michael Vick, Nnamdi Asomugha, Jason Babin, Cullen Jenkins, Ronnie Brown and assorted free agents has cost the Eagles almost $225 million.

For now a chunk of the money merely is on the books. For example the sixth year of Vick's deal voids if he plays 35 percent of the snaps in any of the first five years. Deduct $15 million there. There are similar circumstances with other contracts.

The new DeSean Jackson contract (http://tinyurl.com/3mmbyqu), which I've been told could arrive right around the regular season opener, will cost the Birds about $50 million. That is what Santonio Holmes, a less accomplished wide receiver, recently got from the New York Jets.

Follow Bob Grotz on twitter.com/bobgrotz

Mike Vick's 6-year, $100 million contract with $40 million guaranteed sets the Eagles up at quarterback for three years and gives them the flexibility to redo the contract of wide receiver DeSean Jackson, who has been waiting 
patiently.

Vick didn't handle the last mega-bucks contract he got from the Falcons real well, so rest assured it's an Eagles-type extension full of roster bonuses and other monies the quarterback earns only if he's still a member of the squad. There also are bankruptcy issues involved with Vick. The Eagles privately have handed out almost $225 million in contacts in the span of four weeks.

Eagles head coach Andy Reid and Vick are slated to address the contract at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday.

"I'm very happy we were able to reach an agreement with Michael on this long-term contract," Reid said in a statement. "It's a product of all the hard work Michael has done to better himself over the last couple of years both on and off the field. I'm very proud that he has been able to achieve success again in this league. But he'll be the first one to tell you that there is a lot of work yet to be done by him and this team as a whole. And there's no doubt in my mind that he will continue on that path. I give a lot of credit to Joe Banner and Joel Segal for getting this deal done."

The Eagles released four players Monday including wide receiver  Gerald Jones, who caught two Mike Kafka touchdown passes late in the the 24-14 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Also waived were defensive back  Jamar Wall, offensive tackle Spencer Johnson and tight end Martell Webb.

With 81 players, the Eagles have to subtract one more competitor to reach the limit by  4 p.m. Tuesday.

Follow Eagles beat writer Bob Grotz on Twitter @BobGrotz

We knew the transition from offensive line coach Juan Castillo to Howard Mudd wouldn't be seamless.

But was it supposed to be hazardous to the health of quarterback Michael Vick?

Andy Reid had to convince the 69-year-old Mudd he would have carte blanche to transform an offensive line composed of enormous maulers into the smaller, more mobile outfit he hung his hat on with the Indianapolis Colts. OK, beg.

And it's showing.

Players switching positions, most recently Todd Herremans,  the alternate Pro Bowl guard to right tackle.

Rookies Jason Kelce and Danny Watkins playing next to each other at center and right guard.

The regular season opener isn't far off. And a slow start by the line and guess what? Vince Young is the quarterback.

Mudd was right for the Colts. But you should know they've gotten out of the business of playing smaller, stockier and athletic guys in favor of bigger, bulkier athletic guys. They're also happy about it.

 "I think it's going to help us in the long run," Colts coach Jim Caldwell told the Indianapolis Star.

Follow Eagles beat writer Bob Grotz on Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/bobgrotz

 

Eagles head coach Andy Reid fought off an attempt by ESPN's Sal Palantonio to determine if he would take a look at veteran middle linebacker Lofa Tatupu.
The question came after the Eagles beat the Browns, 24-14, in the preseason Thursday at the Linc.
"I'm not there," Reid said. "We look at all the guys but I haven't done anything there."
Reid then said he had had no contact with Tatupu, who supposedly had lined up a workout with the team.
The Eagles have been kicking the tires on rookie middle linebacker Casey Matthews, who played better this week than the previous week against the Steelers.
All of that said Reid apparently sent a messenger to speak to Palantonio, away from the group.
Where there's smoke, frequently there is fire,

- Eagles offensive line is chronically in the way of quarterback Mike Vick.
- Vick really misses WR Jeremy Maclin, out indefinitely with a strange illness.
- Colt McCoy isn't a bad quarterback but Browns need more than RB Peyton Hillis.

For now Asante Samuel isn't going anywhere.
But with the first round of cuts - from 90 to 80 - due by 4 p.m. Tuesday  there could be some movement on the depth chart at cornerback as the Eagles probably won't have room for nickel back Joselio Hanson and veteran cornerback/kick returner Jorrick Calvin.
If Samuel stays both of those players likely would move on because the Eagles like Trevard Lindley and rookie third-round pick Curtis Marsh.
At wide receiver the Eagles will have a tough time keeping Chad Hall, Sinorice Moss, Gerald Jones, Terrance Turner and Johnny Lee Higgins.

Hall, Moss and Higgins would benefit from a solid showing returning kicks.

Tremors from the earthquake that struck the Capitol Tuesday shook the NovaCare Complex where Eagles players were showering and lifting weights after a long morning practice.'

"I came out of the shower and I saw the lights and stuff shaking and I stopped and felt the movement a little bit," King Dunlap, the Eagles' 6-9, 310-pound offensive tackle said. "They said the whole building was shaking. It's a pretty big place. It must have been a pretty decent sized earthquake."

Defensive end Trent Cole had a sinking feeling in his stomach.

"I was in the shower and the place started shaking," Cole said. "I was like, what the hell is going on? Am I getting sick?"

Defensive end Jason Babin, feeling the ground shake, alerted people in the hall to be careful and take precautionary measures.

Austin Howard was in the weight room with teammates Todd Herremans, Brent Celek and others for the event that was felt at nearby Lincoln Financial Field, according to Eagles employees in contact with colleagues at the football stadium..

"I was lifting weights," Howard said. "You could see the ground move a little bit. You looked up at the TV and it was shaking a little bit and the lights were flickering a little bit. Nothing too dramatic but something you could still see."

At that point Howard said the players looked at each other and brainstormed.

"No clue," Howard said. "We were just hoping that nothing blew up. We were hoping it wasn?t some explosion. It was my first one. Who would have thought it would happen in Philly, of all places?"

Said Dunlap, who hails from Tennessee, "This is the first one I've ever actually been in.

"They don't usually have them up here, do they? That's rare, isn't it? Do they even have a Richter Scale up here?"

Like it or not, Vince Young changed the Eagles’ culture when he called them the Dream Team.

Instead of hunters, the Eagles became the hunted.

Nothing wrong with that or Young refusing to back down from the image he created while the Eagles were in the midst of stockpiling one elite player after another through free agency and trades.

“We do have some real talented guys,” Young told the media mob Monday. “I really feel if we keep working and taking care of our responsibilities and finish like we want to finish as a team, that’s pretty much how I called it.”

What Young believes is the Eagles are a squad so talented they’re capable of going wire to wire and winning a championship regardless of the competition. That’s a Dream Team.

For some reason Young agreed when asked if what he said had been taken out of context.

“That’s pretty much how it goes with Vince Young,” he said. “My words always get taken out of context.”

Casey Matthews’ phone rang the day after the Eagles’ preseason loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

It was his father.

What advice did Clay Matthews, the first-round draft pick who played in 278 NFL games spanning 19 seasons, offer the rookie starting middle linebacker?

“Nothing at all,” Casey Matthews said Sunday. “I mean he just said you looked more comfortable later on. So I guess it was pretty noticeable.”

Matthews and the rest of the linebacker corps had a rough couple of series. But they calmed down and began to get used to their new technique for fighting off blocks as the first half wore on.

Defensive coordinator Juan Castillo, who said Matthews is “going to get better,” and linebackers coach Mike Caldwell told Matthews to keep playing the way he did after his first two series. Bear in mind, Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger played only two series’.

“Really the first couple of series it’s just everything went fast,” Matthews said. “You’re worried about getting lined up and getting other people lined up. Once you get past that, once you calm down and let it come to you it makes it a lot easier.”
Castillo gently praised the progress of Matthews, who is getting off blocks with his hands rather than conventionally with a shoulder. Castillo doesn’t want to hear that the Eagles didn’t address the linebacker position in the offseason because the team drafted Matthews in the fourth round, and in the previous two drafts selected starters Jamar Chaney and Moise Fokou.

While Castillo said “It takes time to develop kids,” he also made it clear doing so wouldn’t take the entire year in this the all-in season.

“The linebackers will be ready to win the Super Bowl,” Castillo said. “Remember, it takes 16 weeks and then really whoever is playing their best during the playoffs.”

By then Castillo is hopeful Matthews and the Eagles’ linebackers are proficient at fighting off blocks with the new technique.

“If you look around the league they usually teach you to take on blocks with shoulders but here we’re trying to do it just using face and hands,” Matthews said. “It’s new to everyone here. We’re trying to get it down. It’s a work in progress.

“Taking on a big lineman with your face and hands doesn’t as give you as much power but if you strike him quick enough it will stun him. Then you just get off him and make sure he doesn’t grab him. If you use your shoulder he’ll just grab you.”

L l l

Offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg confirmed Sunday that rookie sixth-round pick Jason Kelce would get the first-team snaps at center rather than veteran Jamaal Jackson.

Offensive line coach Howard Mudd cannot wait any longer to see if Kelce is the one to build the unit around.

Mornhinweg said the Eagles have thought about starting rookies Kelce and right guard Danny Watkins next to each other. For now it’s not an issue.

“No decision has been made,” Mornhinweg said of the starting center job. “There is great competition there. Kelce has earned the opportunity to do this for a period of time and then we'll make decisions as we go.”

Eagles defensive tackle Mike Patterson returned to practice 17 days after suffering a seizure during training camp at Lehigh University.

Patterson is taking anti-seizure medication for what the Eagles are certain is arteriovenous malformation (AVM). He hopes to play in Thursday’s preseason game and anticipates being read to start the regular season providing there are no setbacks.

Also returning to the NovaCare Complex Saturday to participate in conditioning work was wide receiver Jeremy Maclin.

Maclin feels he should be ready for the regular season opener, which is the timetable head coach Andy Reid submitted last week.

Wide receiver Jason Avant (sore knee) was held out of practice.

Rookie Casey Matthews took the first-team snaps at middle linebacker in the closed practice.

Quarterback Michael Vick said he broke up laughing Friday when the Eagles gave him the Associated Press comeback player of the year trophy mailed to One NovaCare Way.

“When I walked into the locker room one of the equipment guys told me it was the three-interception trophy,” Vick said. “I got a kick out of that.”

Vick threw three picks in the first half of the loss to the Steelers.

The Eagles signed guard Reggie Wells, who nobody wanted, and released  wide receiver Brandon Caleb and defensive tackle Charlie Noonan.

Wells (6-4, 318) appeared in eight games with one start for the Eagles last season after being acquired from the Cardinals for Stacy Andrews prior to the start of the regular season.

Andy Reid said Wells would compete for a spot at right tackle. Big Red said that after praising the work King Dunlap did at that position “against good competition” Thursday versus the Steelers.

“Being on the field is my preference,” Wells said. “Whether it’s tackle, guard, center, tight end or whatever it may be. I think I’ve made it this long by being versatile and being a guy who’s able to learn new positions.”

Wells, 30, has appeared in 104 games with 90 starts in seven seasons with the Cardinals at three different positions (78 at guard, 12 at tackle).

The South Park, Pa. product played at Clarion University, where he was a four-year starter and earned NCAA Division II All-America honors as a senior.

The Eagles announced that former Pro Bowl defensive end Norm Willey passed away Thursday night in Newark, Del., at age 83.

Nicknamed “Wild Man,” Willey played in 92 games for the Eagles from 1950 to 1957 and earned All-Pro selections three times (1953-55) and Pro Bowl berths after the 1955 and 1956 seasons. According to newspaper accounts, Willey recorded 17 sacks in one game versus the N.Y. Giants Oct. 26, 1952. He was a 13^th round draft choice of the Eagles from Marshall.

Following his career with the Eagles, Willey taught physical education and driver's education for 30 years at Pennsville (N.J.) High School, where he also coached tennis and basketball. A native of Pine Grove, W.V., Willey served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. In 2003, Willey was inducted into the Marshall Athletics Hall of Fame as he was a two-sport star in football and basketball.

He is survived by his companion of 40 years, June L. Lange; children Kim Willey, Kyle Willey Gorman and her husband, Albert, and Scott E. Willey. Visitation will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, at Spicer-Mullikin Funeral Home, 1000 N. DuPont Parkway, New Castle, Del. The funeral service and burial will be private. In lieu of flowers, contributions in memory of Mr. Willey may be made to the Delaware Humane Association, 701 A St., Wilmington, Del. 19801, or to the Pennsville Educational Foundation, P.O. Box 406, Pennsville, N.J. 08070.

Bills fan wondering what to do next after reading Vick's GQ interview.

The Eagles have cornered the market on defensive backs.

But the Eagles couldn't defend an intermediate route Antonio Brown turned into a 29-yard scoring grab with six DB's in the first half of their second preseason game.

Asante Samuel got beat for the score.

It also seemed like the Steelers were on the field the entire first quarter as they marched 80 yards in 14 plays consuming 7-minutes, 36-seconds.

The Eagles couldn't stop the run lining up with those wide gaps in line coach Jim Washburn's new system. It looks like the Eagles are going to need some linebackers. For some reason the Steelers got away from the run in spite of their effectiveness.


The Eagles got the ball for just six snaps in the first quarter.

This still won't heal Bills and Bengals fans as Michael Vick wouldn't deny he would have liked to have played for either of those teams before the Eagles after getting out of prison.

But Vick sure stepped-up to put NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and the Eagles in a good light with a statement in response to an interview he did.

“I felt it was necessary to put out a statement today clarifying the article in GQ Magazine,” Vick said through the Eagles. “I did speak with many people but the decision to sign in Philadelphia was based on my discussions with my agent, my family and with Coach Reid. And after those discussions it became clear to me that this was the place I wanted to play and resume my NFL career. The Commissioner never told me to sign or not sign with particular teams."

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello issued a statement on his Twitter account saying Vick's decision "was entirely his own.

"Commissioner Goodell obviously met and spoke to Michael and his reps as part of his decision on whether to reinstate him and on what terms but the commissioner would never steer players to or away from particular teams and did not do so in this case.”

Another Mike Vick GQ piece is about to hit the newstands ... and, uh, go digital.

And Vick speaks openly about how he wound up with the Eagles after his 18-month stint in Levenworth, not Cincinnati our Buffalo, where he could have started.

Meaning there is going to be a whole lot of collusion-type damage control going on from  NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to Eagles head coach Andy Reid to team  president Joe Banner. Here's an excerpt:

"I think I can say this now, because it's not going to hurt anybody's feelings, and it's the truth... I didn't want to come to Philadelphia. Being the third-team quarterback is nothing to smile about. Cincinnati and Buffalo were better options."

Those two teams wanted him and would've allowed him to start, but after meeting with commissioner Roger Goodell and other reps from the NFL, Vick was convinced—and granted league approval—to sign with Philly. "And I commend and thank them, because they put me in the right situation."

That won't go over big with enemies of Goodell (Bill Belichick) or the Eagles (Jerry Jones, Tom Coughlin subsequently lost star free agents to the Vick aura. And it had to wrankle the Bengals and the Bills. Where might they be with Vick?

Check out the sneak preview on Deadspin ...

http//m.deadspin.com/5831987/gqs-michael-vick-story-will-most-likely-make-white-people-angry-again.

Eagles trainer Rick Burkholder said wide receiver Jeremy Maclin could begin practice in 7-to-10 days providing his conditioning goes well.

 

Burkholder said Maclin had "an inflammatory condition" that is "not life threatening." That after a myriad of tests for mononucleosis, HIV and cancer, among other illnesses.

Maclin told Foxsports.com he was "fine.

“First and foremost, I want everyone to know I’m fine, I’m healthy,” Maclin told Foxsports.com. “I was tested for everything and every single test came back negative. I don’t have mono, I don’t have AIDS, leukemia, all the things people were guessing on, there was nothing. I was being tested for lymphoma and thank GOD everything has come back negative."

NBCSports.com reported Wednesday that wide receiver Jeremy Maclin has mononucleosis - or something like that.

So far there's been no confirmation by Maclin or the Eagles, although that could come when trainer Rick Burkholder speaks on a conference call at 7 p.m. Wednesday.

Mononucleosis is a viral infection causing fever, sore throat and swollen lymph glands, especially in the neck according to healthline.com. It can lead to an enlarged spleen or liver, hepatitis, jaundice, severe muscle fatigue and weight loss, among other symptoms.

The testing process isn't necessarily conclusive and all ranges of maladies must be ruled out, sometimes even cancer.

Mono is called the "Kissing Disease" because of one of the ways it may be passed on. It is a very common infection in young people although it can affect any age group.

During the offseason Maclin said he had mononucleosis but felt he was recovered. Full recovery can take weeks or months.

If it is mono, head coach Andy Reid's timetable for a return might not sound so totally insane. Big Red said he was "optimistic" Maclin could be ready for the regular season opener.

That said the Eagles, according to DeSean Jackson, signed veteran wide receiver Steve Smith "as insurance" if Maclin cannot make a rapid recovery.

Reid, Maclin's brother and general manager Howie Roseman all said Maclin will be back this season.

Eagles running back LeSean McCoy and the starters will play the first half Thursday when the Eagles oppose the Steelers at Heinz Field in their second preseason game.

King Dunlap will start at right tackle.

Newly acquired wide receiver Steve Smith (PUP) won't play.

To clear up any confusion, McCoy said there are no hard feelings for Smith by virtue of their Twitter battle. Smith attacked McCoy for attacking Giants defensive end Os Umenyiora,

"There’s no issue, really," McCoy said of Smith. "He’s a new member of our team. We embraced him. We’re happy to have him. He’s going to help us out. I don’t really know him too well. I mean I haven’t really seen him too much because he’s like injured and going back and forth. But he’s a teammate of mine, you know? Whatever happened is in the past. Now with Osi, it’s a different story.”

McCoy was funning with the Osi remark. But don't expect the issue to die.

The Eagles claimed OT Jose Acuna off waivers from Dallas.

The Birds also waived OT Joe Toledo.

Acuna (Nevada) was signed as a rookie free agent this year by the Cowboys.

The  Eagles Monday afternoon practice  is inside Rauch Fieldhouse due to the weather and closed to fans.

tThe Eagles decided to eliminate the final open practice of training camp at Lehigh University.

After the Tuesday 8:05 a.m. practice, camp is over. The afternoon practice and Wednesday mock game have been cancelled, coaches decision. Players break camp on Tuesday afternoon after meetings.

Center Jamaal Jackson (knee) returned to practice Sunday morning but rookie Jason Kelce got a lot of the snaps with the first team offense.

Offensive tackle Ryan Harris (back) sat out work, King Dunlap getting most of the snaps on the right side, Austin Howard and Evan Mathis splitting the second-team reps.

Defensive linemen Juqua Parker (calf) and Antonio Dixon (back) were held out of work but neither injury appears serious.

Oh, and Eagles general manager Howie Roseman (left) got some up-close-and-personal time with DeSean Jackson, who wants a new contract.

To expedite the process the Eagles should start with the deal Santonio Holmes got from the New York Jets - five years, $50 million, $24 million guaranteed.

To make Jackson feel a little more wanted in light of the team's free agent spending frenzy, give him a little more of the $24m upfront.

DeSean Jackson returned to practice and looked sharp catching the football Saturday.

Jackson also fielded punts in the morning workout at Lehigh University

The Eagles protected themselves against a setback in newly acquired wide receiver Steve Smith's rehab from micro-fracture surgery by placing him on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list.

The former New York Giant can come off the list at any time in training camp. The way it works is if Smith begins the season on PUP he cannot play for the six weeks of the season. After the six-week mark the Eagles would have have a three-week window to decide whether to activate Smith or shelve him for the season on injured reserve.

The Eagles are evaluating Smith, who participated in a lengthy running and conditioning workout Saturday.

Additionally defensive tackle Mike Patterson, who suffered a seizure, was back on the field doing conditioning work along with defensive end Brandon Graham.

The Eagles also released defensive tackles Brandon Collier (ankle, injury settlement) and Charlie Noonan, plus rookie quarterback Jerrod Johnson and signed offensive tackles Joe Toledo and Spencer Johnson.

Offensive line starters Jamaal Jackson and Ryan Harris didn't practice Saturday.

Defensive end Juqua Parker was helped off the field with a right calf injury.

Pro Bowl wide receiver DeSean Jackson will sit out Eagles' opener Thursday.

But Jackson expects to be in football shape for the second preseason one week from Thursday against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

  

"I should be ready for the next preseason game," Jackson said after the Wednesday morning walkthrough. "So i'll just have some fun and coach (teammates) up a little bit."

With Jackson idle, having held out of camp to make a statement about his contract, Eagles head coach Andy Reid said Jason Avant and Riley Cooper wil start at wide receivers in the Eagles' preseason opener Thursday against the Baltimore Ravens at the Linc.

The game also is the Eagles debut of quarterback Vince Young and running back Ronnie Brown, formerly of the Miami Dolphins, who should see action in the first half. Ryan Harris will start at right offensive tackle.

Looking at the additions Jackson likes the extra firepower and anticipates the offense being able "to be able turn it up to another notch this year."

Pro Bowl wide receiver De Sean Jackson will be held poor of the Birds preseason opener Thursday night at the Linc.
All of the other essential Eagles will play, though, with the exception of defensive tackle Mike Paterson (illness) and wide receiver Jeremy Maclin (illness).
Quarterback Vince Young will see action on the second quarter with the second team according to head coach Andy Reid.

Defensive end Victor Abiamiri underwent surgery on his right Achilles' tendon Tuesday by  Dr. Steve Raikin of the Rothman Institute at Thomas Jefferson Hospital in Philadelphia.

Abiamiri was placed on injured reserve ending his season..

Safety Marlin Jackson, who sat out last season with a torn Achilles' tendon, underwent a procedure to have a sports hernia repaired by Dr. Bill Meyers at Thomas Jefferson Hospital.

Defensive end Chris Wilson signed a one-year contract with the Eagles.

Wilson spent four campaigns with the Washington Redskins recording  65 tackles and six sacks after joining them as a free agent in 2007. He spent the 2005-06 seasons with the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League, helping them to a Grey Cup title in '06.

http://www.agentjr.com t/

Huskers Nation has seen enough of Alex Henery to think he can help the Eagles make a seamless transition from the recently concluded David Akers era.

Henery has been tearing it up at Eagles training camp. He blasted a 55-yarder in one practice. In another he consistently kicked the ball through the end zone, sending the offensive linemen standing around behind the end line scurrying for cover. It was like artillery shells falling.

Here's another reason to believe in Henery:
http://youtube/5aXkPwWXLNY. Bear in mind he was only a sophomore.

Defensive tackle Mike Patterson was released from Lehigh Valley Hospital and could be cleared to resume “normal team activities … within a few days” according to a statement released Friday by his agent.

 

The news is nothing short of shocking as Patterson is taking anti-seizure medicine after going into convulsions during Eagles practice Wednesday.

But JR Rickert, the agent for Patterson, cautioned Thursday against believing media reports that his client needed surgery to remedy AVM, a neurological disorder involving blood vessels and the brain.

The statement he released came moments after Eagles head coach Andy Reid said Patterson was “making progress.”

“Mike Patterson has been released from the hospital and will join his teammates at training camp,” Rickert’s statement read. “He is scheduled to see a neurologist in Philadelphia in the next day or so. We anticipate that he will be cleared to resume normal team activities within a few days.”

Rickert was not immediately available for comment.

There was no immediate response from the Eagles.

Eagles trainer Rick Burkholder on Thursday said the early tests suggested Patterson’s convulsions resulted from AVM. Burkholder wouldn’t give a timetable for Patterson’s return or discuss what the treatment would be.

The odd man out at cornerback for now is Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, as the Eagles lined up at training camp Friday morning with the newly signed Nnamdi Asomugha at right cornerback and Asante Samuel, the incumbent, at left cornerback.

Mike Patterson’s agent, JR Rickert, issued a statement Thursday disputing confirmation his client has AVM or that the player would need surgery for what could be a condition where blood vessels are tangled in the skull.

Patterson was forced out of practice and ambulanced to the Lehigh Valley Hospital ER after going into convulsions during practice. Convulsions are one of the symptoms of the neurological disorder.

“Media reports are not accurate,” the statement said. “Mike has not yet decided on surgery. He has not received an official diagnosis of a brain AVR and is continuing to be evaluated by multiple doctors. Once we know the course of treatment and timetable for recovery, Mike and his wife Bianca will decide how to proceed.”

Defensive tackle Mike Patterson was scheduled to leave Lehigh Valley Hospital Thursday after undergoing tests and being put on medications for convulsions suffered during practice Wednesday.

Patterson will return to the Philadelphia area for more tests and a plan to treat what Eagles trainer Rick Burkholder calls AVM - arteriovenous malformation. It’s a neurological condition that can cause convulsions, horrific headaches and strokes.

Burkholder wouldn’t say what the treatment would be or when Patterson might be back, if at all.

Sorry, Bunk.

Privately the Eagles trade of Brodrick Bunkley to the Cleveland Browns for a fifth-round pick in 2012 likely blew up when the defensive tackle didn’t pass the club physical.

That’s a condition of the trade.

It was initially reported the defensive tackle refused to report to the Browns. Bunkley did, as required.

When his rights reverted back to the Eagles, they sent him to the Denver Broncos to team with Brian Dawkins.

If Bunkley passes their physical – different teams have different requirements - the Eagles get a conditional 2013 pick.

Michael Vick expects Pro Bowl teammate DeSean Jackson, who is unhappy with his contract, to report to training camp real soon.

“DeSean and me have been talking,” Vick said after the Monday morning practice. “I think everybody is just trying to get on the same page and create an understanding. And DeSean has an upbeat attitude. He has a very positive attitude right now. And I think he’s going to handle the situation like a man.

“We’ve just got to sit back and see what happens but we definitely want him to be here and we’re looking forward to him coming in.”

Eagles president Joe Banner and general manager Howie Roseman have found it impossible to hide their enthusiasm over the spending and trading sprees bringing the Eagles five major acquisitions this past week - Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Jason Babin, Vince Young, Nnamdi Asomugha and Cullen Jenkins.

Banner sat in the back of  the news conference heralding the addition of Jenkins, who is just what the Eagles need to improve their anemic pass rush. Roseman, asked if the Eagles had the salary cap flexibility to go after more free agents, deferred to his boss in the back of the media tent.

"Oh, hell yeah, anything he wants," Banner said to a chorus of laughter.

After practice the following day, with the media waiting for Asomugha to appear, Roseman had difficulty making a 3-point turn in the BMW he drives. The driver in the Audi behind him began honking. When Roseman completed his maneuver and drove off, the Audi driver rolled down the window and playfully said "Learn how to bleeping drive."

And so it is at Eagles camp.

Vince Young says the acquisitions have turned the Eagles into The Dream Team.


We shall see.

It's pretty clear Banner and Roseman feel good about what they've done, a series of moves that's sent shockwaves through the NFC East.