In terms of pure talent, have the Eagles ever had a group of halfbacks in a post-draft mini-camp better than the group now? From top to bottom, the Eagles have assembled a Fine Five, a crew that is going to give the coaches something to think about all the way through this season.

"We're deep there, at this point. We do have some different styles of backs; different running styles," said offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg. "Some are more effective from the back field, or out wide. Some can play out wide and in the slot in the pass game. It's good to have that depth and it's good to have that competition."

They come in different shapes and sizes and are better at some things than at other things. Brian Westbrook leads the way and has become one of the very best players in the NFL. He does everything right. He is the model here. He is the standard.

And if the Eagles want to turn to Westbrook and lean on him like they did a year ago, he is more than willing. Westbrook wants the ball in his hands. The Eagles know that. Westbrook is past the "can he stay on the field?" question. He is now in the superstar category, and his versatility has long keyed this offense.

What does he do for an encore? Well, if things go according to plan, Westbrook will give the Eagles more by having the ball less. It isn't that the Eagles plan to scheme away from Westbrook and use him as a "decoy." No, they think that if players like Kevin Curtis, Reggie Brown, L.J. Smith and DeSean Jackson stay healthy, the offense can get back to spreading the ball around  more consistently and effectively.

"Brian Westbrook is a fabulous player. I'm just saying we needed to lean on him, we had to lean on him, and we were forced to lean on him just a little bit more last year because of several things," said Mornhinweg. "If we're healthy, we can spread it around a little bit more and be a little bit more dynamic. Now we were sixth on offense last year, I think the year before we were second. We were first in big plays two years ago, and then we went to sixth last year, I believe. So we went down just a touch in our scoring—there are a lot of factors in that one, though. We certainly could be more dynamic with everybody healthy."

We know about Westbrook. We know how he fits into the offense. We know that the Eagles need him to stay on the field and be a spectacular player. What about the other four halfbacks? What are their prospective roles? Let's look into the future ...

LORENZO BOOKER

A third-round draft pick by Miami a year ago, Lorenzo Booker seems to have settled into the offense very nicely. Mornhinweg said Booker has made just one mistake in two days of practice. That's impressive.

Booker's skills are obvious once you see him. He is very quick and fast and he catches the ball well. Booker is not a power back by any means, and we don't know for sure how he will do running between the tackles in this offense. What the Eagles are learning is that Booker learns well. He is moving all over the formation, a la Westbrook, and the Eagles seem excited to get the ball in his hands.

It could be that Booker catches the football more than he runs it this year. He seems to have excellent hands and shifts into gear quickly once he makes the catch. If the Eagles can get into formations with both Booker and Westbrook, that is going to put a lot of pressure on a defense.

"You can imagine some of the other scenarios, with some of the other excellent players that we have in there, along with those two," said Mornhinweg. "Certainly with our fullback situation, we have some different style running backs. There are a lot of combinations there that we could use to put a little stress on the defensive thought process."

CORRELL BUCKHALTER

His role may not change much at all. The Eagles see him as an excellent change-of-pace back who is more of a slasher with power than is Westbrook. When called upon in 2007, Buckhalter responded brilliantly. He averaged five yards per carry, gained 313 yards and scored four touchdowns.

If anything, the Eagles were guilty of not giving Correll Buckhalter enough touches last season. And with Booker in the fold, with L.J. Smith healthy again, with DeSean Jackson on board, Buckhalter is going to find some times where he is not a first or second option. But he is an option, a good one, and the Eagles can be creative thinking of ways to get the running game cranked up with Westbrook and Buckhalter alternating carries.

TONY HUNT

We're going to find out a lot about Hunt in the spring and the summer. Tony Hunt has been a regular at the NovaCare Complex conditioning program and he looks to have more spark in his step on the field. He is in great shape.

But how can Hunt break the logjam in front of him when the season starts?

It is a good question to consider. The Eagles like Hunt, they really do, but it seems on the surface that he is pretty far down the pecking order at this position. A "short-yardage back" doesn't cut it in this offense. Hunt is going to have to show he is more than that -- a pass catcher, a blocker and an all-around running back -- and he is going to have to play well on special teams to make the roster and get on the field.

RYAN MOATS

Moats deserves a lot of credit for rehabbing the way he did after suffered a fractured ankle fibula last summer. Ryan Moats has more bulk and he is still extremely quick and shifty. He has had a good mini-camp to date.

But the reality is that Moats is going to have to be more than outstanding to make the team. Can the Eagles can four halfbacks? Maybe, depending on how the rest of the 53-man roster shakes out. Can the Eagles keep five halfbacks? I don't see how ...

Right now, Moats is No. 5 of the five-man group. He has been dazzling at times in his NFL career, but at the same time his inconsistency has been maddening. Moats can't make any mental mistakes from now until the end of training camp, and he has to get on the field and make a lot of good things happen to earn a spot on this team.

Whatever happens, the Eagles have a tremendously talented group here. They have four players who were third-round draft picks (Westbrook, Moats, Booker and Hunt) and a fourth-round draft pick (Buckhalter). There are no rookie free agents here, no feel-good, long-shot stories. Instead, there are five talented players hoping their varied skills combine to give the Eagles everything they need at the position this season.

DAY TWO OBSERVATIONS

• The highlight of the afternoon practice came when cornerback Asante Samuel broke up a pass intended for DeSean Jackson. A.J. Feeley threw the pass, and Samuel jumped up and woofed some at Feeley after making the play. "Didn't you learn last year that you couldn't get a pass in on me?" said Samuel, bringing the whole team to laughter. Even head coach Andy Reid chuckled on that one. Samuel, of course, had two interceptions, one for a touchdown return and one in the end zone to kill a drive in the end zone late in the game to deny the Eagle the upset bid in a late-season game in New England.
• Defensive coordinator Jim Johnson effectively answered the way he feels about Samuel's presence when asked on Sunday how it will work having three starting-quality (and more) cornerbacks on the roster. "I look forward to it every day. I'll tell you what; it's like having two Big Browns in the Kentucky Derby. You've got both those guys out there. I walk out there, I see Lito, I see Asante, I see Sheldon. It's good. Those are good players," said Johnson. "I have no hesitation about that. I just look forward to practice. I look at the film and I see two thoroughbreds out there. That doesn't even bother me." Johnson complimented Sheppard's approach and attitude. "It's good. I know it's frustrating for Lito. He's a starter, everybody wants to start. He's good. He's been a professional, he's worked hard out there and hopefully it's going to keep up. I think he wants to be here. We are in a little bit of a situation. Maybe it's bad for them, but it's good for me. I like it."
• Wide receiver Jamal Jones and Feeley hooked up for a couple of big plays in the morning workout.
• The defensive tackle rotation still needs to be sorted out and, honestly, somebody has to step up. Mike Patterson, Brodrick Bunkley and Trevor Laws appear to be 1-3 on the depth chart, with Montae Reagor number four. Then it's LaJuan Ramsey and Jeremy Clark, both of whom have been working with the third team.
• There is a fifth cornerback job to be won, and on Sunday Therrian Fontenot showed up with a strip of Jason Avant and then a pass breakup in the morning. It is likely that either Fontenot, Tanard Davis or returning reserve Nick Graham gets the job. Graham has an advantage right now.
• I have to say that I haven't seen Max Jean-Gilles get any reps at left guard with the starters, and I'm wondering if Jean-Gilles has served notice that he is going to challenge Todd Herremans for the starting job. Herremans looks terrific, in shape and is playing well in the camp.
• L.J. Smith looks great.
• Offensive tackle Jon Runyan was excused on Sunday, so Winston Justice took the reps at right tackle with the starters.