Starting tight end L.J. Smith was downgraded to questionable following the team's Saturday morning walk-thru. Smith has been battling a groin injury which sidelined him for much of training camp and all four preseason games.

Smith practiced all week and was initially listed as probable on the team's official injury report, which was released Friday. But following yesterday's practice Smith said he was taking a wait-and-see approach heading into this weekend's opener in Green Bay.

"I'm working hard to get back on the field, but your body is going to tell you when it's ready," Smith said Friday. "If I can't go out there and be efficient when I'm out there then what's the point of going out there."

If Smith is unable to play, the team would look to veteran Matt Schobel to step in. Rookie tight end Brent Celek will also see action, according to head coach Andy Reid.

Smith's groin injury came on the heels of a sports hernia surgery that he had over the summer. The groin injury is reportedly not related to the sports hernia problem. Still the injury is a concern, much like it was for quarterback Donovan McNabb and punter Dirk Johnson, who were sidelined by groin injuries for a good portion of the 2005 season.

Smith says he's trying to stay positive although the injury has been a frustrating one to overcome.

"Hopefully it can go away tomorrow; but I've never had one of these so I'm pretty much going by what the trainers say, picking other teammates' brains on their situations and how they feel with groin injuries, things like that," Smith said. "I'm doing things that I can do in practice and trying to get the rhythm down with Donovan just in case I'm able to go on Sunday."

The Eagles had full participation in Friday's practice, and afterward Reid listed starters Shawn Andrews and Jevon Kearse among those players probable for Sunday's regular-season opener against the Packers. Meanwhile, Reid said he would wait until game day before deciding on his kick and punt returners as well as who will serve as McNabb's primary backup.

McNabb and the offense should certainly get a boost with the expected return of Andrews, a Pro Bowl guard a year ago. Andrews missed the entire preseason and much of training camp due to an ankle injury, however he practiced this week without any reported setbacks.

Meanwhile, with A.J. Feeley still recovering from surgery a week ago, there's a chance rookie Kevin Kolb could suit up as the No. 2 quarterback. Reid won't make that call until Sunday.

"Obviously, there is a little swelling there from the surgery, and it's just a matter of that settling down," Reid said of Feeley. "We'll see how he does by the time we get to game day."

On defense, Kearse was back on the field Friday after being limited the previous two days with a shoulder strain.

"He did everything today," Reid said of Kearse. "There wasn't anything he couldn't do. He had a couple of tweaks yesterday with his shoulder, but he looked like he was fine today moving around. He said it was quite a bit better, even yesterday, but we limited things. We wanted to make sure we had no setbacks, and I think we came out that way."

Injuries are not a problem on special teams, however the head coach was not ready to pinpoint who would handle the return duties at Lambeau Field. Correll Buckhalter and J.R. Reed appear to be the leading candidates at kick returner, while Reed and Greg Lewis are in the mix at punt returner.

Reid did say he was impressed with Reed's work in practice this week.

"I've been impressed with what I've seen," Reid said. "It looks like he's moving around better than the last time he was here. I know he's mentioned to you he has a different brace, a little smaller brace. It looks like it really works for him. He's done a nice job."

Still, the head coach left things very much up in the air.

"I'm not going to mention anything until the game," Reid said.