*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."

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.