Opening remarks: "Let's go over the injuries here. (S) O.J. Atogwe has a groin strain. He's going to work through that today. We'll see how he does. He most likely will not practice. We're going to put him through a little workout here as you can see. (LB) Jamar Chaney, hamstring strain, won't practice. (WR Jamel) Hamler will not practice with a hamstring strain. (OG) Brandon Washington has a concussion so he won't practice for a few days. (DE) Jason Babin's making progress. (TE Brent) Celek's making progress. You've seen all these guys out here. (DE) Trent Cole making progress. (WR) Riley Cooper is feeling a little bit better, post-surgery on the collarbone. (OG) Evan Mathis is sick and he kind of has an inner ear infection. He's doing better but not quite back yet. (DE) Monte Taylor also had a concussion, actually feels pretty good this morning but still he won't be out at practice today. (S) Nate Allen was dehydrated yesterday a bit with a hamstring spasm and he's going to try to do something. We just have to see how he does in the meantime here. Same with (DT) Cullen Jenkins. We'll see how he does. (OT) Todd Herremans, he had shoulder inflammation and he's making progress. We'll see if he's able to practice today. So, those last three were the ones (who won't practice). Everybody else will practice. (RB LeSean) McCoy went off yesterday and he'll be back out. He was dehydrated a bit. Again, I mentioned a couple of guys that were dehydrated. On the other hand of that, our numbers are way down practicing in the afternoon compared to what they've been in past years in that category, which is a positive. They're doing a good job of getting themselves up, getting the meals in and getting the liquids in before they fall asleep in between practices. They're at least keeping the liquids in and then once they wake up, they continue to do that. So, that's made for better numbers in that area for us in the afternoon practices. Again, the guys are practicing hard. They've got great support out here with our fans. Our fans have just been unbelievable, the number of people that are coming out. Believe it or not, the guys feed off of that. They can hear it. They interact with the fans out here during practice and I think that's a real positive tribute to the fans for coming out here and sitting in the heat and the humidity. Again, we're making progress. Today, you'll see a backed-up period that will be pretty aggressive, and along with a move-the-ball (period). So we're getting ready to play in games here, the preseason games, we're giving them more opportunities to actually play the game on the field in that type of situation. So, those are the move-the-ball periods."
On whether the practice will be live: "There will be a couple of live periods."
On the pros and cons of the high-intensity afternoon practices: "The thing I can tell you is that it's football and we're going to get better at blocking and tackling by doing it this way and that's very important. This is the way we've done it, with the exception of last year. This is the way we've always done it and I believe in that. The players have been very positive with it and they're pushing themselves through, which is important. In this day in age, these six days here are kind of the dog days that we were presented, from the day off a couple days back until the next day off here coming up."
On whether he saw conditioning concerns last season because they weren't able to practice this hard during camp: "Well, I think there's a better way of doing it. I think from a fundamentals standpoint, it's better. The blocking and the tackling; no matter how you cut this game, you've got to be able to block somebody, you've got to be able to defeat a block and then you've got to be able to tackle and everything works a little better on the back ends of the offense and the defense if you're able to do that."
On the Eagles trade yesterday, in which they received CB Kevin Thomas and a conditional seventh-round pick from the Colts in exchange for LB Moise Fokou and LB Greg Lloyd: "Those two linebackers are going to be given an opportunity to play. I think that's a plus for their careers and in return, I think we get a pretty good corner; somebody that's played, has some experience and played about 40 percent of the snaps with the Colts. So, it gives us another player at a very important position."
On how Thomas fits in with the defense and what he does well: "He's been a cover two corner, so he's a big, physical kid at the point, more so on the receiver than his tackling and all that stuff. But he's a big, long, physical player and so we think he can do some of the things that we're going to ask him to do and fit in with the bump-and-run and all that stuff that we're asking our corners to do. But we'll see. We'll see when he gets here."
On using FB Emil Igwenagu all over the field during camp: "He's played a little tight end, which he did in college. That's what he played at UMass and then he played a little fullback. They moved him a little bit in college. We brought him in here to be a fullback, but when Celek went down, we thought we'd move him over and just give him a shot there; give him an opportunity to get some more reps. I think he's done a nice job with that. Smart, smart kid, able to pick all of that up. That's a tough thing to do, but he's handling it and doing a good job with it."
On the decision to move LB Jamar Chaney onto the first team in the nickel package: "He's been playing well. It's that simple. We've told the linebackers, whoever's playing well, you're going to be in there and you'll get to work with whatever group you're behind. You'll move up a group and have an opportunity to compete. So, that's what this camp is all about and he's shown up so he deserved that opportunity."
On how much he appreciates the veteran leadership of LB DeMeco Ryans: "He does a nice job with that. His presence is important. He's calm when things are moving around. Offenses in today's football throw you a million different looks and motions, formations and personnel groups and so you've got to have somebody in there that can pick things up and pick it up quick. He's able to do that and, really, he's helped (LB) Casey (Matthews) along the way too. Just being able to talk to another guy that's been in there, that's always a plus for the player that's standing behind him. But he's just got a good way about him. He's great in the locker room. He's great out here. He works hard. Tough kid."
On whether the final linebacker position will come down to a competition between LB Akeem Jordan and LB Keenan Clayton: "We'll see how it all plays out. We're just going to let it roll and we'll see how it goes. That's what these practices are about and then once we get in the preseason games, we'll see how the guys do there."
On why he does not allow any rookie hazing at camp: "These guys are men. This is their profession. In today's football, those rookies need to play. I don't need them looking over their shoulder at things. They need to get in and learn football, not learn their song of their alma mater. I don't need that."
On what value OT Todd Herremans, DE Trent Cole and DT Mike Patterson (members of the 2005 Draft class) bring outside of their experience on the field: "Any of the veteran leadership that you can get on a team, I think, is very important. Any of that veteran leadership that you can get, especially guys that have kind of been through what we do here and, like I was asked, it's a little different than some of the teams do and it's different than some of the colleges do. So these young guys are coming in, they're kind of learning our way and those guys believe in that. So, it's great to have them around to share their experience with the rest of the guys."
