The Eagles began their three-and-a-half-week training camp early this morning as the rookies and selected veterans filed onto the practice field to get their reps in front of a throng of passionate Eagles fans. From the moment safety Ryan Hamilton stepped onto the field around 8:20 AM until the players finished stretching and headed to the locker room to change, rest and study in between practice two hours later, the team, dressed in shorts and shells, worked on fundamentals and implementing the extensive playbook.

Here's what Bloghead saw during practice numero uno.

• Projected starting left guard Todd Herremans spoke briefly to reporters following a rehab session. Herremans addressed the news from yesterday's Andy Reid press conference that he will begin training camp on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list. He stressed that there's nothing to worry about regarding his left foot.

 "As for right now, Coach Reid had me come up here early because he wanted me doing rehab and working out up here with the team and the trainers are all up here, so there's nobody back home to train with, to do rehab and stuff with," Herremans said. "We set forth the plan with me and (head athletic trainer) Rick (Burkholder) and Coach Reid and the doctors and we're just going to take it easy this year - not take it easy, I'm working out and staying in shape, but just trying to limit the pounding."  

 Herremans said that there's no need to push it right now because the goal is to be ready for week 1 when the Green Bay Packers come to town.  

 "The goal is to be ready for the regular season," he said. "I plan on getting some snaps from preseason to see how that works out, but (probably not the first preseason game.)  

 "I feel confident in my foot and everything, my knees and the rest of my body. I feel like I'm in the best shape I've ever been in in my life, (we're) just trying to limit the pounding."  

• As expected without the pads on and facing a defense made up of mostly rookies, Kevin Kolb was picture perfect during 7-on-7 drills. In the first session, he went 5-for-5, completing two passes to Jordan Norwood, one to Riley Cooper, one to Clay Harbor and one to Cornelius Ingram. The Harbor connection was a bullet over the middle that Harbor did very well to snag with his outstretched arms.

 Then, during the red zone session of the 7-on-7s, Kolb threw touchdowns to Riley Cooper, Chad Hall and Harbor. The highlight of that particular session was a nice breakup of a touchdown by Kurt Coleman, who dislodged the ball from Martell Mallett as the former CFL running back was crossing the goal line.  

• No player in particular stood out on the day, but both tight ends were impressive. Harbor caught almost everything thrown his way, save for a diving attempt on a Michael Vick pass. Meanwhile, Ingram did a nice job in his own right, catching everything that hit his hands and showcasing his impressive athleticism again. It's also worth noting that aside from the quarterbacks, Ingram got the most fan support of any player out there.

• Ricky Sapp practiced exclusively at defensive end, and defensive coordinator Sean McDermott confirmed that he'll be working there for the next few days.

 "I'm just going to go where they tell me to go," Sapp said after practice. "It felt real good to be back at D end today ... (but) I haven't had the pads on in a long time. The feeling of having the pads on is a good feeling, so I'm ready to put the pads on now."  

• Fourth-round linebacker Keenan Clayton, 6-1, 229, wasn't fazed by the heat on the practice field since he's been working out this summer in his home state of Texas. But he did say it took him a few reps to get back in the flow of things.

 "Just getting back in the flow of things, the speed, just getting back out here with the guys and making sure that we had the communication," he said. "Bringing the film room out here to the field, that was probably the biggest adjustment for me. Other than that, everything was fine."  

 Clayton said that he worked exclusively at the SAM linebacker spot today, but he expects to get some work at WILL when the veterans arrive. Until then, Clayton, Jamar Chaney and Simoni Lawrence are getting every rep at linebacker.  

 "There's an upside to it and there's a downside to it because we get no break, but then again we're getting a lot of work in and we're getting a chance to get up on the production sheet and given a chance to prove ourselves as far as what we're putting in and our understanding because when the older guys get in, I know the pace is going to pick up a lot faster and then our reps are going to cut down," he said. "So we have to take advantage of it and show what we can do while they're giving us a chance to.  

 "I am really looking forward to (making my first hit when the pads come on), because that's how I have to make my mark. Everybody gives me a hard time because I'm a little underweight, but when the pads come on, we'll see."  

• Former Eagles Duce Staley and Shawn Barber are both in camp as summer coaching interns.

• No new updates on the two unsigned rookies, Nate Allen and Brandon Graham. Allen's deal is considered closer on the horizon than Graham's

-- Posted by Bo Wulf and Chris McPherson, 11:41 a.m., July 27*