Nick Foles is well aware of how far he's come since the last time the Eagles arrived for the start at Training Camp. No longer preparing for a position battle, Foles is now the entrenched starter and leader of the offense. There's little reflection on the journey that brought him here, however. Instead, Foles' sights are set firmly ahead.

"I just don't think about last year," Foles said Friday. "I know we've said it a lot, about having a short memory, but I just try not to ever think about it. When I went to college, I didn't think about what I did in high school. When I had a good year in college, I didn't think about that, I just kept going. It's the same thing in the NFL. My rookie year, I had a rough rookie year, I didn't dwell on that going into the next season. So it's just continuing the day, 'Alright this is where I'm at.' I have to get better than where I am right now."

Foles' laidback demeanor can be interpreted by some, incorrectly, as standoffish or passive. But the Austin, TX, native has become a leader among his teammates precisely because he doesn't pretend to be someone he's not.

"I've always believed that you need to be who you are," Foles said. "If you're a guy who loves to go out and be at everything and do that, and you can be a great player and a great leader as well, that's awesome because that's naturally what you're great at, that's naturally what you want to do. See, if I were to go and do all that stuff, that's sort of out of my norm. I've always been more laid back, Texas boy, I love my family, I love being with my family. That's what I stick to. I love the game of football, I love getting better. My teammates know me because I show them who I am in the locker room and then I don't change when I go on the field. I'm the same guy everywhere they see me."

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Maclin Ready To Contribute**

Wide receiver Jeremy Maclin greeted his quarterback Nick Foles with a hug before stepping up to the podium outside the NovaCare Complex and delivering the news that Eagles fans wanted to hear.

"I feel good, healthy. I look forward to going out there and playing football," said a poised Maclin, sporting a Nike T-shirt with the word Beast blazoned across his chest.

It is almost exactly one year since Maclin tore the ACL in his right knee. He rehabbed feverishly to rejoin his teammates on the field this spring. Since minicamp ended in June, Maclin only allowed himself one week of vacation before getting back in the weight room.

"I'm just excited to play football again," Maclin said. "I had to watch last year from the couch, from the sidelines. It wasn't very fun for me. I'm blessed to be able to play this game that I love playing and I'm looking forward to going out there and helping my team win."

After playing in a similar offense at Missouri, Maclin was poised to thrive in the new Eagles' offense before his season-ending injury. The Eagles thought highly enough of Maclin's talents that they re-signed the former first-round pick to a one-year deal this offseason despite the fact that he was coming off of the injury. Maclin declared that his knee as healthy as it was pre-injury and expects to be an integral part of the offensive attack.

"As far as numbers and everything, I've never got into numbers as everyone knows. If they plan on me being a big part of the offense, like I think they are, then the numbers will come," Maclin said. "I'm not going to get wrapped up in all of that. That's how I'm going to approach the season."

The Eagles' first-round pick in 2009, Maclin is one of only eight receivers in NFL history to record at least 55 catches and 750 yards in each of his first four NFL seasons.

Mathis Fully Focused On Camp

Despite reports that left guard Evan Mathis is hoping to renegotiate his contract, the Pro Bowler was among the first arrivals at the NovaCare Complex Friday, ready to get to work. Mathis told reporters that holding out was never an option for the veteran, who is committed to working alongside his teammates.

With the first practice only a night's sleep away, Mathis is focused fully on the task at hand.

"I've dealt with a lot of stuff in my career and I've always been able to block it out," Mathis said. "It's not something I was always able to do. It's definitely something I've developed. It's something I've always worked to develop because focus is a huge part of this game. You've got to be focused at all times during a game. I used to let stuff creep into my mind, overthink things, (but not anymore)."