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After it was announced Monday which teams got compensatory draft picks, the NFL was able to establish its full official 2012 draft order. Here's a look at where the NFC East's teams are picking throughout the draft's seven rounds. Bookmark this baby, because we're going to refer to it a lot over the next month. Heck, print it out so you can bring it to your draft party, if you're into stuff like that. We're here to serve.

Dallas Cowboys (8 picks)


Round 1: Pick 14, overall pick 14

Round 2: Pick 13, overall pick 45

Round 3: Pick 19, overall pick 81

Round 4: Pick 18, overall pick 119

Round 4: Pick 40, overall pick 135 (compensatory -- cannot be traded)

Round 5: Pick 17, overall pick 152

Round 6: Pick 16, overall pick 186

Round 7: Pick 15, overall pick 222

New York Giants (8 picks)


Round 1: Pick 32, overall pick 32

Round 2: Pick 32, overall pick 63

Round 3: Pick 32, overall pick 94

Round 4: Pick 32, overall pick 127

Round 4: Pick 36, overall pick 131 (compensatory, cannot be traded)

Round 5: Pick 32, overall pick 167

Round 6: Pick 32, overall pick 201

Round 7: Pick 32, overall pick 239

Philadelphia Eagles (9 picks)


Round 1: Pick 15, overall pick 15

Round 2: Pick 14, overall pick 46

Round 2: Pick 19, overall pick 51 (from Arizona)

Round 3: Pick 26, overall pick 88 (from Houston)

Round 4: Pick 19, overall pick 114

Round 5: Pick 18, overall pick 153

Round 6: Pick 2, overall pick 172 (from Indianapolis)

Round 6: Pick 25, overall pick 194 (from Denver)

Round 6: Pick 31, overall pick 200 (from New England)

NOTES: The Eagles traded the 13th pick in the third round and the fourth pick in the fourth round to Houston in exchange for the 26th pick in the third round and linebacker DeMeco Ryans. The Eagles had acquired the fourth pick in the fourth round as part of a 2011 draft-day trade with Tampa Bay... The Eagles acquired the 19th pick in the second round from Arizona as part of last year's trade for Kevin Kolb... The Eagles acquired the second pick of the sixth round from the Colts in exchange for the 17th pick in the sixth round and tackle Winston Justice... The Eagles acquired the 25th pick of the sixth round and running back J.J. Arrington from the Broncos in exchange for linebacker Joe Mays in 2010... Also in 2010, the Eagles acquired the 31st pick in the sixth round from the Patriots in exchange for linebacker Tracy White and their 2012 seventh-round pick.

Washington Redskins (7 picks)


Round 1: Pick 2, overall pick 2 (from St. Louis)

Round 3: Pick 6, overall pick 69

Round 4: Pick 7, overall pick 102

Round 4: Pick 14, overall pick 109 (from Oakland)

Round 5: Pick 6, overall pick 141

Round 6: Pick 3, overall pick 173 (from Minnesota)

Round 7: Pick 6, overall pick 213

NOTES: The Redskins acquired the No. 2 pick in the first round from the Rams in exchange for the No. 6 pick in the first round, the No. 7 pick in the second round and first-round picks in 2013 and 2014... The Redskins acquired the 14th pick in the fourth round from the Raiders in exchange for quarterback Jason Campbell in 2010... The Redskins acquired the third pick in the sixth round from the Vikings in exchange for quarterback Donovan McNabb in 2011... The Redskins traded the seventh pick in the sixth round to Arizona in exchange for running back Tim Hightower in 2011.

After losing Stewart Bradley to a knee injury in last year's training camp, the door was wide open for Joe Mays to emerge as the starting middle linebacker. That didn't exactly pan out for Mays, so the Eagles sent him to the Denver Broncos on Friday evening for running back J.J. Arrington, who is recovering from microfracture surgery on his right knee.

If Arrington passes his physical, he'll join an interesting mix of young running backs. When Arrington was in Arizona two years ago, he could catch the ball out of the backfield (a combined 58 receptions in 2007 and 2008). He'd probably project as a third-down back for the Eagles, but it doesn't sound like he's at full strength yet.

General manager Howie Roseman has been scouring other rosters in hopes of creating depth at different positions. Arrington's primary job for the Eagles might be kick returns. He was the main returner for the Cardinals in 2006 and 2008, and he had a touchdown return in each of those seasons, including one to open the game against the Cowboys in '08.

Andy Reid said he wants to continue using DeSean Jackson on punt returns, but Arrington could fill the void on kick returns.

We mentioned Monday that the Eagles might consider drafting USC safety Taylor Mays if he slips to No. 24 in April. Daily News beat man Les Bowen is on the ground in Mobile, Ala., and he filed a report on the Eagles' potential interest in Mays.

Our experts from Scouts Inc. said that Mays looked a little "stiff" in covering wide receivers one-on-one today, but what do you expect from a guy who's 6-3, 230 pounds. In talking to people from the Eagles organization, there's some thought that Quintin Mikell would be better off lining up with a veteran safety. The Cowboys brought in Gerald Sensabaugh and he made an immediate impact.

The Eagles ended up missing Brian Dawkins more than they thought. I'm not sure if drafting a rookie starter is the answer to their problems. I honestly think the Eagles should draft a cornerback in the first round. I'll be telling you why in the coming days.

Let's take a quick look around the division to see who's playing and who's sitting:

Cowboys

• Tight end Martellus Bennett (concussion) and safety Ken Hamlin (ankle) have been ruled out for Sunday's game. Looks like third-round draft pick Jason Williams could be active for only the third time this season.

Eagles

• Jeremy Maclin (left foot) is still walking around the practice facility in a protective boot, but the Eagles insist he's going to play. Update: Maclin practiced today and Andy Reid said he's "fine" for Sunday. Wide receiver DeSean Jackson (concussion) has had two consecutive days of practice and he hasn't had any setbacks. Linebackers Tracy White (shoulder) and Joe Mays (illness) have returned to practice. It's highly unlikely that Brian Westbrook (concussion) will play against the Giants.

Giants

• All 53 players on the roster participated in today's practice. Ahmad Bradshaw (ankles/foot) sat out Thursday's practice but he's back on the field today. This is as healthy as the Giants have been in two months. Chris Snee (knee) and Michael Johnson (groin) both looked fine during the small portion of practice reporters are allowed to observe.

Redskins

• David Elfin of the Washington Times says DeAngelo Hall (knee), Albert Haynesworth (ankle) and Mike Sellers (thigh) will all miss Sunday's game against the Raiders. Elfin was the first reporter in the D.C. area to report Haynesworth being out. So do Redskins fans think they're getting their money's worth? You guarantee a man $41 million, you'd like to see him out there for at least 13 or 14 games of the season.

Eagles coach Andy Reid should thank his lucky stars the Redskins' playcalling trio went conservative at the worst possible time Sunday. The Redskins outplayed a flat Eagles team for much of the afternoon, but they left the door cracked just long enough for Philly to escape with an important win.

With the win, the Eagles improved to 7-4 and remained only one game behind the Cowboys in the NFC East race. But with a 21-16 lead, the Redskins had the chance to knock out the Eagles when cornerback Justin Tryon intercepted Donovan McNabb late in the third quarter. The Skins had a first-and-goal situation at the Eagles' 10-yard line -- and then they went totally conservative.

Quarterback Jason Campbell had thrown two interceptions inside his own territory in the first half, so it basically looked like Jim Zorn and the other playcalling gurus lost faith in their quarterback. It's a shame, too, since he made some outstanding throws in the game. On third-and-goal, Campbell could've extended the play with his feet but he instead threw the ball out of the end zone. The Eagles settled for a short field goal to make it 24-16 and the Eagles' offense suddenly caught fire.

With wide receiver DeSean Jackson sidelined with an injury, McNabb started dialing up Jason Avant. The wide receiver had back-t0-back catches of 46 and 22 yards. He was brilliant against the Chargers two weeks ago -- and he came up big again in a huge spot. David Akers connected on a short field goal and the Eagles escaped with a 27-24 win.

The Eagles started the game with a botched onside kick attempt. Joe Mays ran into David Akers' kick and then Redskins running back Quinton Ganther picked it up and raced the other direction. The Redskins scored quickly on a Campbell touchdown to make it 7-0. The Redskins should've had the lead at halftime, but Campbell threw his second interception of the half to Asante Samuel, setting up a field goal by the Eagles.

The Eagles once again struggled in the red zone. They moved the ball well with LeSean McCoy in the running game, but playcaller Marty Mornhinweg refused to stick with McCoy. Sometimes you win games you don't deserve. That's the case for the Eagles this afternoon. But if they make the playoffs, this win will count just the same.

It's another gut-wrenching loss for the Redskins. But I'm tired of hearing everyone take up for Zorn. He's a big boy -- and he cost his team today by going conservative when he didn't need to. And yes, I think he still has more decision-making power than Sherm Lewis.

» NFC Final Word: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

Five nuggets of knowledge about Week 11 in the Beast.

The Redskins have to do a better job against double moves. The Skins are coming off a nice win, but the secondary let Broncos wide receiver Brandon Marshall get deep on two touchdowns and he could have had another if not for a poorly thrown pass. Carlos Rogers, DeAngelo Hall and Fred Smoot are all aggressive players who sometimes get caught guessing on routes. The Cowboys have had success with Miles Austin on double routes and I would expect them to try to take advantage of the Redskins' aggressiveness. It also looks like Redskins safeties LaRon Landry and Reed Doughty have taken some poor angles to the ball on deep throws. The Cowboys have to be more balanced on offense this week, but they'll still take some shots downfield. Look for the Redskins to shade Landry in Austin's direction, which might open something up for Roy Williams on a vertical route.

Can the Giants fix their issues on defense? The good news is that this is the healthiest they've been all season. There's even a chance that cornerback Aaron Ross finally returns to the field. The Giants have paid dearly for not having sufficient depth at safety. If Ross could actually move over and help them at safety, there could be a huge payoff. I also think this could be a big game for former Falcons linebacker Michael Boley. The team pretty much gave up on the speedy linebacker. Now, he has a chance to make them pay. The Falcons lose an important player with running back Michael Turner out this week. Quarterback Matt Ryan will have to get the job done, and he's been very shaky in protecting the footbally lately. He managed games so well last season that it's hard to believe that he could throw so many interceptions. The Giants need to get in his face early and not allow him to find a rhythm.

I think the Eagles will be much better on defense this week. And I'm not just talking about the fact that they'll be staring across from the interception-machine known as Jay Cutler. It looks like Joe Mays will step in at middle linebacker, allowing Chris Gocong to return to the strong-side spot. With Will Witherspoon at the weak-side position, I think the Eagles will look like a more athletic team. Mays isn't a star or anything but he's capable of covering running backs and tight ends. If Sheldon Brown can play through a hamstring injury, I think the Eagles will be OK in the secondary. If Brown can't go, the Eagles are going to be hurting. Quintin Mikell and Asante Samuel are both strong players, but they wouldn't have much help with Brown on the sideline. Defensive coordinator Sean McDermott desperately needs his front four to generate most of the pass-rush. You don't want to be bringing a lot of blitzes with the way this secondary looks right now.

Cowboys offensive coordinator Jason Garrett needs to re-discover the running game. Garrett said the game plan got "out of whack" last week against the Packers because of some down-and-distance situations. Some of that's true, but he could've done more to establish the running game. What's the point in spending a first-round pick on Felix Jones if you're going to give him three touches in a tight game? Jones is one of the most explosive players on the team and Garrett has to dial him up this week. Owner Jerry Jones pretty much said the same thing this week. He wants to see the other Jones get more opportunities, so hopefully that happens.

Watch this matchup between Cowboys right tackle Doug Free and Redskins linebacker Brian Orakpo. I realize that Orakpo's a stand-up linebacker on first down but he'll see plenty of action at defensive end. He's a strong player who loves to use the bull-rush -- and I think that's Free's biggest deficiency. The former Northern Illinois player moves really well laterally and he's what scouts call a good "foot athlete," but he can get overpowered. Look for Skins defensive coordinator Greg Blache to try and get Orakpo in one-on-one situations with Free. The Cowboys will try to counter that by helping out Free with tight ends. If the Redskins pull off the upset, I think Orakpo will have had a monster game. Keep that in mind this Sunday. And have a tremendous football weekend.

Eagles coach Andy Reid has ruled out starting linebacker Akeem Jordan (knee) and safety Quintin Demps (ankle) for Sunday night's game against the Bears. It looks like Joe Mays will get the start at middle linebacker, allowing Chris Gocong to move back to the strongside spot. Will Witherspoon will remain the starter on the weakside.

Reid also said that running back Brian Westbook is taking it easy this week and will start attending team meetings again next week. The brain injury specialists in Pittsburgh said they wanted to see Westbrook again in 2-3 weeks, so obviously he won't be back in the lineup before then.

"We’re backing him off and letting him rest,” Reid told reporters Friday. “That was on the doctor’s plan that they had for him. Next week he can start going back to meetings and doing some things. We’ll see how he feels. The doctors want to see how he does for the next week, what, if any symptoms he has and evaluate him in 2-3 weeks."

Little fantasy advice: If you have access to LeSean McCoy, I'd find a way to get him on the field in this game. Something tells me the rookie's about to go off. Call it a hunch. Or call it whatever you want to call it.

Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley

LANDOVER, Md. -- Greetings from the biggest NFC East game of the evening. I've just been handed tonight's incactives, so let me pass them along:

Redskins: Kevin Barnes, Quinton Ganther, Robert Henson, Chris Samuels, Chad Rinehart, Marko Mitchell, Anthony Montgomery, Renaldo Wynn

Eagles: Kevin Kolb (third quarterback), Dimitri Patterson, Joe Mays, Mike McGlynn, Max Jean-Gilles, Kevin Curtis, Victor Abiamiri, Omar Gaither

Eagles coach Andy Reid obviously has a lot of faith that left guard Todd Herremans is fully recovered. I'll be interested to see if Stacy Andrews gets any reps at right guard. Something tells me that we won't see tonight.

Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley

Three quick hits on the Philadelphia Eagles:

1. Continuity on the offensive line could be an issue: Left tackle Jason Peters may be an elite player, but he struggled in his first preseason game. He's playing next to left guard Nick Cole right now, but at some point Todd Herremans (foot) will return to the starting lineup. Herremans has told reporters he'll be ready to go for the regular season. This offensive line has been in a state of flux throughout training camp. And if Shawn Andrews (back) can't get things figured out, he'll be replaced by former second-round pick Winston Justice at right tackle. Fortunately, the Eagles have decent depth along the line with players such as Cole and Max Jean-Gilles.

Football Outsiders The Football Outsiders use their unique brand of analysis to break down each of the league's 32 teams. Philadelphia Eagles

2. Who will be the backup quarterback once Michael Vick is fully reinstated? No matter what Andy Reid's saying right now, Vick will eventually be the No. 2 quarterback. And I think it will happen sooner than later. Vick will require some time to get into football shape, but I think his arm strength and speed are still there. Kevin Kolb will be the third-string quarterback by midseason.

3. The Eagles should be fine at middle linebacker: Losing Stewart Bradley (knee) for the season was tough news, but the late Jim Johnson did a great job of preparing some of the other linebackers. Last year's seventh-round draft choice, Joe Mays, is a high-motor player who's looked really good in coverage during camp. The Eagles also have the luxury of bringing in Omar Gaither to play in the nickel package. And the fact that Gaither has been a starter in the past gives the Eagles some comfort.

ESPN's Marcellus Wiley breaks down the biggest question mark for the Eagles this season.

	Chris Gardner/US Presswire
	Rampant injuries are threatening the continuity Eagles coach Andy Reid prefers at training camp.

Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley

BETHLEHEM, Pa. -- Despite the serenity and cool air (except for Monday) found in Lehigh Valley, the Eagles can't get out of here fast enough. In addition to dealing with the loss of beloved defensive coordinator Jim Johnson to cancer, the Eagles have seen players carted off the field with injuries at a daily clip.

Camp Confidential: NFC East • Cowboys: Fri., Aug. 7 • Eagles: Tues., Aug. 11 • Giants: Mon., Aug. 17 • Redskins: Fri., Aug. 21 • Training camp index

"It starts to get to you a little bit," said tight end Brent Celek. "It just all sort of happened at once. But you can't sit here and dwell on it."

Celek was particularly concerned to see his training-camp roommate and close friend, Stewart Bradley, suffer a season-ending knee injury during an intra-squad scrimmage at the Linc. But head coach Andy Reid scoffs when asked if he's ever experienced anything like this. In his mind, the injuries are part of football and they've created opportunities for other players.

"I don't get caught up in all that stuff," Reid said. "You're sad for the person who goes through it, but on the other hand, you have to expect these things. Let's go play football."

Most pundits, including this one, have the Eagles as a top-five team in the league. But I'll admit the lack of continuity along the offensive line has me re-thinking my position. Continuity is one of Reid's favorite words, and right now his starting right tackle, Shawn Andrews, might not be ready for the start of the regular season.

	Chris Gardner-US PRESSWIRE
	Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson has been unstoppable at training camp.

On the positive side, I don't think Donovan McNabb has ever had this many weapons on offense. Second-year receiver DeSean Jackson has been dominant in camp. The Eagles have a talented secondary, but not even All-Pro Asante Samuel has come close to covering Jackson. With the addition of first-round pick Jeremy Maclin and steady players such as Jason Avant and Kevin Curtis, I'm convinced the Eagles have the best receiving corps in the NFC East.

Maclin is still playing catch-up after his contract holdout, but he's supremely gifted and confident. He bristled at the suggestion that he might not earn a starting job immediately.

"I didn't come here to sit on the bench," Maclin said. "I'm going to make sure I do everything possible to be on the field."

Maclin's trying to learn the nuances of the West Coast offense on the fly, but he's an extremely intelligent player who should catch on quickly. Right now, though, it's Jackson who's drawing the most attention in camp. He's so quick off the line that no one can get a jam on him. That's where Maclin has room for improvement. He wasn't seeing jams at the line of scrimmage against Iowa State or Kansas State in the Big 12 North. He'll have to get stronger and become more aggressive.

Key Questions

Can the Eagles overcome all the injuries from training camp?

Losing your starting middle linebacker (Bradley) and talented rookie tight end Cornelius Ingram isn't a good way to begin the season, but one of Jim Johnson's greatest strengths was preparing young players for moments exactly like this. Joe Mays, a second-year player from North Dakota State, probably will play middle linebacker on first and second down. He'll get help from former starter Omar Gaither on passing downs. Mays, a sixth-round draft pick, is short (5-foot-11), but he brings a lot of power to the point of attack. I don't know how he'll hold up in regular-season games, but he's consistently making plays in camp.

Perhaps the bigger concern right now is Shawn Andrews' back injury. He missed training camp last season while battling depression and then promptly injured his back. Some have questioned Andrews' passion for the game, but the Eagles have insisted that he really is hurt. If he can't go, Eagles fans can get reacquainted with former first-round pick Winston Justice at right tackle.

Will Brian Westbrook and LeSean McCoy give the Eagles a dual threat at running back?

Westbrook has started to increase his workloa
d on the side and he should be ready to go late in the preseason. At this point, it's not as if he needs a ton of carries in the preseason. I visited with McCoy on Monday until Jackson ordered him to go sign autographs. The second-round pick has looked comfortable in the Eagles' offense from Day 1 of camp. He's an instinctive runner who's already adept at setting up his blockers. I think Reid and offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg are looking to get McCoy the ball in a variety of ways. Early in camp, he got behind the secondary for a 35-yard touchdown. He caught a lot of balls at Pittsburgh and his soft hands will give the Eagles another option. I think they want McCoy to touch the ball at least 10-12 times per game -- right from the start.

Who will win position battles at safety and cornerback?

I've been very impressed with veteran cornerback Sheldon Brown's approach to this camp following an offseason of complaints about his contract. He went high to break up a pass in team drills Monday and he's working hard to hold off former Patriots starter Ellis Hobbs. I think coaches will let those players battle throughout the preseason, but Brown's getting the majority of the reps with the first team. Hobbs is learning the Eagles' defense on the fly, so he's not as aggressive right now as he's used to being. But coaches like the fact that Hobbs has a chip on his shoulder after being traded from New England. And with all the injuries, the Eagles need to create as much depth as possible.

At safety, Quintin Demps is getting most of the first-team reps. Sean Jones, signed as a free agent from Cleveland, has been solid, though. Defensive coordinator Sean McDermott hasn't handed the starting job to either player, and that has made for some good competition.

Market watch

It will be interesting to see how many receivers the Eagles keep on the roster. They have some depth and youth at the position, which leaves players such as Reggie Brown and Hank Baskett on the bubble. It's not helping Brown and Baskett's cause that a rookie from Washington State named Brandon Gibson is having a strong camp. You have to believe that Jackson, Curtis, Maclin and Avant are locks. If the Eagles only keep five receivers, there's a chance they go with a kid like Gibson. Former Texas Tech Red Raider Danny Amendola is a Wes Welker starter kit, but he looks more like practice-squad material to me. At linebacker, keep your eye on Moise Fokou, a seventh-round pick from Maryland. He's making plays all over the field, but we'll see if he can take it into the preseason games.

	Chris Gardner-US PRESSWIRE
	All eyes are on Eagles first-round pick Jeremy Maclin.

Newcomer to watch

I'll have my eye on Maclin pretty closely in the preseason. I think he's going to struggle getting off the line at first. And his route running will be something to watch. He's a fluid player who doesn't mind going across the middle, but right now, you can tell that he's still thinking too much. He might be one of those players who sort of comes alive in the preseason. That was certainly the case with Jackson last season.

Observation deck

There's a second-year running back named Eldra Buckley from Tennessee-Chattanooga who could be a good change-of-pace back. I don't think Lorenzo Booker is long for this team despite what anyone tells you. He dropped a pass in Monday's practice and the coaches don't trust him to pick up blitzes. He has been around too long for that to still be an issue. ... I think Celek's on his way to becoming a big-time player. Very humble guy, but he showed up when the stakes were high last December and January. He also has been studying tape of Jason Witten to learn some pointers. I like that Celek takes a lot of pride in blocking too. The NFC East is absolutely stacked at tight end. ... One of the reasons Reid isn't panicking about the offensive line situation is that he has a lot of faith in backups such as Nick Cole and Max Jean-Gilles. The Eagles have done a pretty good job of creating depth along the offensive line and you can bet they're not going to sit around waiting for Shawn Andrews to show up. ... If offensive tackle King Dunlap ever realizes what sort of physical tools he's been given, he could be a good player. Not sure he's there yet. ... The signing of left tackle Jason Peters jump-started the Eagles' offseason. I watched him stone defensive ends on consecutive plays Monday. He's a pretty impressive-looking player. He still has the footwork of a tight end, his position at Arkansas, but he can engulf defenders with his power. I think he'll be the best left tackle in the division -- and he better be for that money. ... McNabb still appears to be having fun in camp. On Monday, he took off running when he couldn't find a receiver. Instead of stepping out of bounds, he tight-roped down the sideline, much to the delight of Eagles fans. ... I've heard good things about Latrobe, but I can't imagine a better setting than this one. Gorgeous green meadows in every direction and great access for fans. It's a shame the Eagles are breaking camp so early (Wednesday), although you won't hear any complaints from them.

Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley

BETHLEHEM, Pa. -- I'm currently in Lehigh Valley with the Eagles, but we can talk about anything during today's live chat at noon ET. After observing two Eagles practices, I'm prepared to make some snap judgments about this team. Feel free to ask about the young linebacker Moise Fokou or the new starter at middle linebacker, Joe Mays.

I'm postponing my trip to Albany until we complete the chat, so let's make it a good one. Hoping to break the 1,000-question barrier. May need your help.

Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley

BETHLEHEM, Pa. -- Quite an eventful day here in Lehigh Valley, where even on a Monday morning, thousands of Eagles fans poured into training camp. It has to be one of the most serene places in the league, what with the lush, green meadows and trees dotting the mountainside. Almost made myself cry during that last sentence.

Why don't we get away from my postcard from Bethlehem and actually talk some football. The morning session was dominated by the defense, and there's a rookie linebacker named Moise Fokou who Eagles fans are going to be rooting for. The seventh-round pick out of Maryland is always flying around the ball and he'll be tough to keep off the final roster. For more on Fokou and other players you'll actually recognize, continue reading:

• When I brought up the fact that rookie Jeremy Maclin had muffed one punt and mishandled another at the end of the morning session, he glared at me before saying, "It won't be an issue." In my book, a first-round rookie putting the ball on the ground is a worthy topic -- but that's just me. In my five-minute visit with Maclin, it's obvious that he has a ton of confidence. When I asked him if he'd be OK with the coaches not starting him at first, he quickly replied, "I didn't come here to sit on the bench." I didn't really see Maclin do a lot in the morning session, but a sixth-round pick named Brandon Gibson out of Washington State kept making play after play.

• Rookie free-agent tight end Eugene Bright is sort of an interesting story. He was a defensive end at Purdue, but the Eagles signed him in April to play tight end. He said he played two games at tight end in high school in Pennsylvania, but never thought he'd end up there in the pros. But with the season-ending injury to Cornelius Ingram and Matt Schobel missing time with an injury, Bright is getting a long look. He dropped a couple passes early in camp, so he started carrying a football with him at all times. He says he catches an extra 200 passes a day that way, and that the quarterbacks constantly want to throw to him away from the practice fields. Bright got the idea from one of America's true film classics, "The Program," in which the immortal Omar Epps fumbled so much that coaches made him carry a ball around campus. Playing the role of Darnell Jefferson, Epps held onto the ball in games and eventually attracted the attention of Halle Berry. "I rented the movie when I was at Purdue, and it's obviously stuck with me," Bright said.

• To be fair, I saw Quintin Demps muff a punt, too. But on defense, Demps looked really comfortable opposite Quintin Mikell and made a nice interception on an ill-advised throw from Donovan McNabb. I think Demps will win the starting job, but the Eagles were wise to sign a quality backup like Sean Jones from the Browns.

• Second-year linebacker Joe Mays appears to be making the most of his opportunity now that middle linebacker Stewart Bradley's out for the season. Mays was very active in blitz packages and he showed some really good range in dropping back into coverage. Also the type of kid who's really easy to root for. Not very tall at 5-11, but he's stacked. Sort of built like Skins linebacker London Fletcher.
  

• I think Brent Celek will be the latest entry in what has to be the best tight end division in football. Martellus Bennett is playing to rave reviews in San Antonio and Jason Witten's the best tight end in football right now. The Redskins' Chris Cooley and the Giants' Kevin Boss are both very productive, although Cooley's obviously the bigger weapon. Celek's a very unassuming guy, but you can tell he's highly intelligent. He's been studying tape of Witten and Cooley to see what makes them so successful. He said the way Witten "sets people up at the top of his routes" is what sets him apart.

• It didn't take long to identify the best player in this camp right now. His name is DeSean Jackson and no one can defend him at this point. He's making All-Pro cornerback Asante Samuel look silly in practice -- on a routine basis. Jackson looks bigger than last season, and I don't think he's lost any speed. Seriously. No one in camp can cover him.
  

• Former Cowboys practice squad wide receiver Danny Amendola had an excellent morning practice. He runs smooth routes and he made a couple tough catches on low throws.
  

• Donovan McNabb is still having fun after all these years. On one play, he took off running down the sideline. But just as a defender assumed he would step out of bounds, McNabb tip-toed down the sideline. The fans went nuts, and McNabb had a good laugh as he jogged back to the huddle.

• Defensive end Chris Clemons, the former Raider, broke through for at least one sack in the practice and his quickness in drills was pretty impressive. Still looks too skinny to me, but he had a good practice.

• Former Charges linebacker Matt Wilhelm stuffed the run a couple times and he looks like he could definitely contribute. At the rate they're going, the Eagles are going to need a lot of depth at linebacker. And based on Monday's practice, they might be in better shape than a lot of people think.
  

• Asante Samuel rarely speaks to the media, but he's the most vocal defender on the field. When cornerback Sheldon Brown made a really nice play on the ball, Samuel came racing in from the sideline shouting at the top of his lungs.
  

• There's been a Winston Justice sighting early in camp. I think most fans and reporters just assu
  med he'd never be heard from again after his nightmare experience against the Giants a couple years ago, but he's shown up with a different mindset in this camp. I don't want to go too far, but it's safe to say that Winston Justice is actually displaying some confidence in this camp. If Shawn Andrews can't go, the Eagles may need Justice.
  

• When Maclin sort of threw Sheldon Brown to the ground after a pass breakup, someone from the stands shouted, "Maclin, that's our Pro Bowler! Take it easy!"
  

• Kevin Kolb was throwing the ball pretty well this morning before he sprained his MCL. He'll miss Thursday's preseason game, but the Eagles are saying he'll be day to day after that.

• Rookie cornerback Macho Harris out of Virginia Tech made some nice plays on the ball in one-on-one drills with the receivers. All in all, the defense really dominated the offense. McNabb admitted as much and vowed to change that in the near future. Speaking of McNabb, it's ridiculous how many weapons he has at receiver right now. Watching Jackson, Maclin, Avant and Kevin Curtis go about their business convinces me that this is the best receiving corps in the NFC East.
  

• I like Eldra Buckley at running back. I don't know if he has a chance to make the team, but he's willing to dole out some punishment when he sticks his nose in the hole. He spent last season on the Chargers' practice squad. Another good underdog story.
  

• Jason Peters looked fine to me during team drills. Very athletic and he can engulf a defensive end. Watched him do it twice Monday morning. And Stacy Andrews may be the tallest right guard I've seen. At 6-7, he cast a pretty long shadow. And on the left side, reserve offensive tackle King Dunlap is the same way. He's one of those guys who could be pretty effective if the light ever comes on. If memory serves correct, he just didn't want to work that hard at Auburn. I'll ask around and see if he's changed that at all. Pretty impressive looking guy. The Eagles have six offensive linemen on the roster 6-5 or taller.

Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley

BETHLEHEM, Pa. -- Eagles coach Andy Reid refuses to let all the setbacks during the first two weeks of training camp get him down. In Monday's morning session, two more Eagles, Trent Cole and Kevin Kolb, had to leave the field with injuries. He's already lost Stewart Bradley for the season, and starting right tackle Shawn Andrews is out indefinitely with an injured back.

	RBarbara Johnston/US Presswire
	Coach Andy Reid is fighting the injury bug on his Eagles squad.

Still, Reid looked as content Monday as I've ever seen him. He also looks a lot thinner after losing somewhere close to 75 pounds on a Medifast diet that was inspired by Maryland's famously large football coach, Ralph Friedgen. I asked him if he still enjoyed training camp as much as he did when he took over 11 years ago.

"I love it. I love it," he said.

And he said all the adversity that has come the Eagles' way so far in camp hasn't dampened his spirits. Reid admitted that he wanted to see more "continuity" on the offensive line, but he said the fact that players such as Nick Cole and Max Jean-Gilles have started games in the past makes him feel better about things.

Reid's demeanor when I brought up Shawn Andrews suggests to me that he's not all that optimistic about him returning any time soon. He said he doesn't have a good idea when the right tackle will return, and on Sunday, he told reporters that Andrews' status for the regular season opener was still in doubt.

"It's his back muscle," said Reid. "We'll calm it down and go from there. I can't tell you when he'll be ready."

What Reid knows is that a banged up offensive line could neutralize a potentially explosive offense. He acknowledged the Eagles had assembled "a lot of talent" on offense. Many of you wanted to know how much progress rookie wide receiver Jeremy Maclin's making, so I asked Reid that very thing.

"He's intelligent," Reid said of Maclin. "He's got good size and strength and it looks like he wants to be a good player. He's going to have to learn the schemes, but he's a quick learner."

Reid was once an assistant coach at Missouri, but it's not like they were running the spread offense in those days. We talked about how difficult it is for a receiver to make the transition from the spread to the Eagles' West Coast offense.

"Obviously, the closer the [college] system is to what we do, the better chance there is to learn the offense," Reid said. "But if you're willing to work at it, [the transition] can take place fairly quickly."

As a fan of Big 12 football (particularly the Waco representative), I was curious whether Reid thinks the spread offense would work in the NFL.

"Well, the quarterback has to take some hits in that offense to make it work," Reid said. "And the passing part of it, we already do a lot of this stuff. As a coach, you'd just hate to see the quarterback get that banged up. Some of these [college] guys are tough hombres."

I also asked Reid if he's still coming to terms with the fact that defensive coordinator Jim Johnson's not around. I was curious if he still has moments where he wants to ask Johnson a question and it sort of hits him what's happened.

"No, we're not in the same situation that people who didn't go through the whole process [of Johnson's illness] were in," said Reid. "There was a transition that took place, and we're moving along with that."

Reid did say that it really started to hit home with him when he was at the Pro Bowl without Johnson.

"He's what every coach wants to be," Reid said of Johnson. "He's a grandfather. And he was the best grandfather."

Regarding the rash of injuries in camp, I asked Reid if he ever stopped and said, 'Am I doing something wrong here?'"

"Most of those things happened in thud drills," said Reid, referring to mostly non-contact drills. "I don't get caught up in all that stuff. You're sad for the person who goes through it, but on the other hand, you have to expect these things. Let's go play football."

So what do you think of the NFC East this season?

"The last three years the NFC East has been phenomenal," he said. "It's the most competitive it's been in a long time."

Reid also talked about the loss of an emotional leader such as safety Brian Dawkins. He's not worried about other guys on the defense assuming that role.

"I think we've got good leadership on defense," he said. "We'll just sort of let their personalities show when they play. The whole defensive front are great leaders. Mike Patterson, Darren Howard... and [linebacker] Joe Mays came on as a rookie. And you have Omar Gaither to sort of get you going."

Reid said the fact that Johnson did a "great job of cultivating young talent" is one of the reasons he's not going to panic about injuries.

One last thing: What is different about Donovan McNabb today than, say, three years ago?

"You just get a better feel for the offense," said Reid. "He's seen it all. He's able to take you through the whole package. He's a good player."

OK, I have to race back for special teams practice. I have interviews with LeSean McCoy, Brent Celek and Maclin to share with you over the next couple days. And special thanks to Deja Brew in downtown Bethlehem for providing my workspace this afternoon.

Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley

It's been one week of Eagles training camp, and the team has already dealt with a lot of adversity. First and foremost, there was the death of longtime defensive coordinator Jim Johnson, one of the best minds in the game. There's also been the distraction of rookie wide receiver Jeremy Maclin's contract holdout.

Bradley

Now it appears that starting middle linebacker Stewart Bradley, one of the team's best young players, will miss the season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament that he suffered during Sunday's Flight Night at the Linc. I don't know the exact play during the scrimmage where Bradley suffered the injury, but Les Bowen of the Daily News says the linebacker got caught up in a pile of players.

In recent days, I've written about how some teams feature more contact in training camp than others. Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips said there would be no tackling in San Antonio, and he said that's something that goes all the way back to how his father, Bum, approached training camp. In Denver, though, there will be full-pad tackling like the old days. Andy Reid had said Saturday that the scrimmage would include full-contact.

And with what happened to Bradley, it's time to make the immediate second-guess. In fact, that's one of my specialties. I'll ask around to my fellow bloggers, but my sense is that most team's don't tackle in training camp -- except sometimes in red zone drills. So is tackling in training camp worth the risk?

This afternoon, I'm sure a lot of Eagles fans are wondering how to answer that. Bradley's one of the smartest players on the team and he's an emerging leader. In addition to trying to fill the shoes of the great Jim Johnson, defensive coordinator Sean McDermott will now be forced to find a replacement at one of the most important positions on the field. He could go with a veteran such as Omar Gaither who was benched last season in favor of Akeem Jordan or an '08 late-round draft pick named Joe Mays.

We'll keep our eye on this one for you. And thanks for your patience this afternoon. I had to step away from the Beast news desk for another assignment.

Update: Andy Reid wasn't pleased with how the media handled the injury. 

Posted by ESPN.com's Matt Mosley

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- We're about 30 minutes away from kickoff and Giants running back Brandon Jacobs just called all his teammates over for a spirited discussion in the end zone.

It's in the high 20s, but the players are under bright sunshine. A lot of people were worried about high winds, but right now, it doesn't seem like much of a factor on the field. Sal Paolantonio will be joining me in a moment. We'll see if he has any last-minute information.

Inactives for the Giants today: RB Danny Ware, CB Rashad Barksdale, LB Gerris Wilkinson, T Adam Koets, DE Dave Tollefson, DT Jeremy Clark, DT Leger Douzable, WR Mario Manningham

Eagles: QB A.J. Feeley, CB Dimitri Patterson, RB Lorenzo Booker, LB Joe Mays, DE Bryan Smith, G/T Shawn Andrews, WR Greg Lewis, TE Matt Schobel

No huge surprises there. Lewis was carted off the field before last week's game against the Vikings with an ankle sprain but he returned. Schobel, of TCU fame, was in the lineup last week because of L.J. Smith's absence. We'll see if Smith gets his starting job back. Brent Celek has played really well in his absence.