Here's a look at what's taking place during Tuesday's practices at Lehigh University. The updates are provided by Bob Kent (BK), Chris McPherson (CM) and Bo Wulf (BW).
- 8:08 AM -Today is the final set of open practices here at Lehigh University. The players are certainly excited, but so are the fans who have packed the bleachers on the far side of the field so early in the morning. The Eagles are celebrating Fan Appreciation Day. Every year after the final morning practice, the players walk around the field to hi-five the fans and thank them for their support during these past two-and-a-half weeks. The Eagles are also giving out schedule magnets and offering steep discounts at the merchandise tent. As for the action on the field, the players are in shorts and shells today. There will be some thud periods, but certainly no live hitting. The story of the day is going to be Matt Nagy, the coaching intern who was promoted to the active roster yesterday since Kevin Kolb will be out this week with an MCL sprain. Nagy spent six seasons in the Arena Football League and took the Georgia Force to within three points of a championship. He is wearing No. 9, but with no name on the back. The 31-year-old former Delaware star is going to be one of the fun storylines to watch Thursday night. The temperature seems nice and much cooler than compared to yesterday. The training staff did a phenomenal job of making sure that none of the players seemed fazed by the 93 degree temps which were made worse by the humidity. One of the tools that the trainers use to monitor body temperature is they offer players a pill that has a thermometer in it. Once it is in the body, the trainers have a little box device that they hold up to the players' backs and it reads their body temperature instantly. The trainers do this constantly as practice goes on. Quite amazing. (CM)
- 8:45 AM- Former Eagles Head Coach Dick Vermeil is in the house for this morning's practice. On the field, Donovan McNabb greeted the rest of the first-team offense with headbutts in the huddle before the group install. Newly signed quarterback Matt Nagy got one rep during the group install - a completion on a 15-yard out route to Shaheer McBride. (BW)
- 9:03 AM- Notes from one of my favorite drills, the linebackers and safeties in coverage of running backs and tight ends: Akeem Jordan was a blanket the whole drill. First, he got a good jam at Kyle Eckel on the line of scrimmage to sniff out the pass, then he was all over Eugene Bright to force an incompletion, and then he broke up a pass intended for Rob Myers ... Tracy White was also impressive in coverage, forcing incompletions on passes intended for Myers, and Bright twice ... Lorenzo Booker flashed his speed, running past Chris Gocong for a long completion, and then catching a deep ball with Joe Mays in tight coverage ... Mays looked comfortable in pass coverage though, pushing LeSean McCoy off the line and forcing an earlier incompletion in coverage of Booker ... Chris Clemons was impressive in his one coverage rep, knocking the ball away from Rob Myers ... Eldra Buckley used his strength to get open a couple times, once with Moise Fokou in coverage and twice with Tank Daniels in coverage ... Matt Wilhelm also howed good technique knocking the ball away from McCoy. (BW)
- 9:46 AM- Wide Receiver Hank Baskett just came up hobbled during 7-on-7 drills favoring his left leg, but he walked off the field under his own power. The trainers are giving him a look right now, but it doesn't appear to be serious (BW)
- 10:08 AM -The Eagles are now in a special teams drill and it appears that practice will end shortly. There wasn't a whole lot to glean from this workout. It was mostly a chance for the different formations on offense and defense to square off and give each other a good look. Again, there was no hitting or bringing to the ground. The new guy here is Matt Nagy, the former coaching intern. It will be interesting to see how they work him into the rotation on Thursday night. He was running the third-team offense. His experience in the Arena League will serve him well. He'll need to get rid of the ball quickly. There should be a lot of handoffs and dink and dunk passes. They won't open the playbook for him. I'd highly doubt that. And working with a third-team offensive line, he'll need to have his head on a swivel. (CM)
- 3:07 PM -The most important information to come out of this afternoon's 10-10-10 practice so far is that Hank Baskett is back out on the field practicing in his shorts and shells after hyperxtending his knee this morning. Also, Matt Nagy is no longer wearing his red quarterback jersey and is out on the field in what appears to be coaching attire. (BW)
- 3:14 PM - Former Eagle and member of the Eagles Television Network preseason broadcast team Herman Edwards is at practice watching from the sideline. (BW)