Steve Sciullo started 13 games for Indianapolis last year. He thought he was on his way in the NFL. And then on Sunday he was waived ... and he felt the jolt of reality.

"They said they wanted to bring another guy in," said Scuillo, who was awarded to the Eagles off waivers on Tuesday and then practiced with the team for the first time on Wednesday.

"It's a wakeup call, man, you know. You're only on top for so long. The opportunities you get, you've got to take full advantage."

OL Steve Sciullo

To make room on the 53-man roster, rookie offensive guard Adrien Clarke (torn hamstring) has been placed on the Injured Reserve List and is lost for the season.

Sciullo earned all-rookie honors from Pro Football Weekly after starting 13 games for the Colts in 2003.

He became just the fourth rookie offensive lineman in Colts history to be an opening-day starter in 2003 and started the first 12 games at right guard before suffering a neck injury that hampered him for the remainder of the season.

Sciullo helped the Colts total a franchise-record 447 points in 2003, the 2nd-most in the NFL. The Colts offensive line surrendered just 19 sacks in 588 pass attempts, and also paved the way for six 100-yard rushing days for Edgerrin James.

Sciullo was a fourth-round pick of the Colts in 2003 and was the 122nd player taken in the draft after his career at Marshall. He's 6 feet 5 and 325 pounds.

But then, on Sunday, he was out of a job. He said he didn't think he had played well in the preseason.

"I don't think I played that well. I didn't think I was going to get released, but you've got to play well or you're going to be gone," said Sciullo.

And the bottom line is that Sciullo, expected to add depth at both guard positions for the Eagles, is angry at the way he let a chance slip away with the Colts.

He doesn't want it to happen again.

"It's a business. This is what I do for my livelihood," he said. "I love playing football, so I'm looking forward to getting out there in an Eagles uniform."