5:40 p.m.

The Eagles have traded fullback Josh Parry to the Seattle Seahawks, their second trade of the day, and have released 17 players and put two on IR to reach the 53-man roster limit.

The released players are: QB Timmy Chang, LB Torrance Daniels, G/C Trey Darilek, WR Jabar Gaffney, WR Michael Gasperson, WR Justin Jenkins, DE Darrell Lee, DT Keyonta Marshall, WR Darnerien McCants, LB Dedrick Roper, S J.R. Reed, WR Bill Sampy, TE Stephen Spach, CB Donald Strickland, TE Andy Thorn, CB Matt Ware, CB Dexter Wynn.

The Eagles also placed OL Stefan Rodgers (knee) and LB Chris Gocong (stinger) on the Injured Reserve list ...

I'm not into names, so when players come across the Internet as being cut, I don't get excited. I know the real deal: Personnel departments scout these players and have grades on these players and they know who can play and who can't play.

So the Eagles are in the process now of finishing off the 53-man roster and, as the minutes tick away, looking to see if players who have been waived are worth being claimed.

3:45 p.m.

Nothing immediately new, but I can tell how things work. The Eagles have likely notified most, if not all, of their prospective cuts. They won't release the full list until just before 6 p.m., just in case something happens and plans change. It is never official until the league office is notified and the players are placed on waivers.

There are certainly some interesting names on waivers right now. I'm not inclined to go in the direction of, say, running back Ron Dayne, but you never know. I think Thomas Tapeh -- who I just feel did enough on Friday night to cement his job as the fullback -- can be enough of a big-back threat to help the Eagles in that department.

Understand that Andy Reid and Tom Heckert and Pro Personnel Director Scott Cohen are all over the wire. Cohen and his staff provide detailed reports on every player on the streets. Each player has a grade. If the Eagles are interested, they already have the information well in hand.

Hang tight. More coming. I promise. You will be surprised, I think.

2:45 p.m.

The immediate reaction to the trade of Hank Fraley is that I'm glad for Fraley. He is in the final year of his contract and he will play a lot in Cleveland. His departure means another long-standing piece of the recent past is gone, and that is always a little sad.

I need to tell you more about Cole. He is the perfect Juan Castillo special, along with Pat McCoy, who I think will make this team as a fourth tackle.

Castillo works his guys hard, and he doesn't care if those players are first-round picks or non-drafted players. He works them all the same. Bottom line: Castillo gets the most from his players, and he has done good things with non-drafted players like Fraley and Artis Hicks and Jamaal Jackson.

Cole is a fire hydrant. He is 6-feet, 350 pounds. I saw him line up as a big blocking back in practice earlier in the week working with the No. 1 offense and I was really jolted -- Andy Reid does not waste practice reps.

Reid, in fact, raved about Cole in a production meeting in his hotel room on the morning of the Baltimore preseason game. Reid likes his feet, his athletic ability and his power. Cole started 40 straight games at New Mexico State at guard and tackle, so he has some experience.

That he came in and learned center so quickly is a real plus. Obviously, he has a little something, something in him. The Eagles are going to use him a lot.

2:20 p.m.

The action has started: The Eagles have traded offensive lineman Hank Fraley to Cleveland for an undisclosed draft pick in 2008. It had long been a possibility and now it is reality.

What does it mean? It means that Fraley has a chance to start in Cleveland. That is a great thing for him. Fraley was clearly beaten out by Jamaal Jackson here, so now he has a chance to go get some playing time and prove he is worthy of a new, long-term deal.

For the Eagles, it means Nick Cole is the backup at center. The coaches love that kid, who earned some recognition on Friday night lining up in the backfield as a blocking back for Thomas Tapeh.

The Eagles don't have a lot of experience behind the starters up front, so that is something to think about. But they absolutely have raved about Cole for two months. He is 350 pounds and very powerful and explosive. He did a fine job on Friday running the show, which must have convinced the Eagles that Fraley was expendable.

Other trades, I suspect, are in the works. Stay tuned.

1:58 p.m.

It's halftime of my Madden '07 game against my 11-year-old son. I lead Danny 26-12 -- I'm the Eagles, of course, and he is the Chiefs. He created a running back and named him Reggie Brown -- Danny interviewed Brown last year for a piece in a kids show and has loved him ever since -- and that is the only weapon the boy has against my ferocious Eagles defense. Sheldon Brown has an interception return for a touchdown.

Offensively, I'm using the shotgun formation and tearing the Chiefs apart. Donovan McNabb has three touchdown passes, two to Brown. By the way, have you noticed how much shotgun the Eagles used in the preseason ... and have you taken note that nobody asks why the Eagles don't run the shotgun? Three years ago, that was all I heard ...

1:27 p.m.

Adam Caplan from FootballInjuries.com and Sirius Satellite radio and I are discussing the wide receiver position. He thinks Jabar Gaffney should make it over Darnerien McCants at wide receiver, and I am finding myself wondering if the Eagles will even keep six receivers.

That sixth receiver won't dress on game days, right? And Jason Avant, Hank Baskett and Greg Lewis can play special teams, right? What if you want to go heavy at other positions?

Caplan loves the Eagles.

"Very good team, good depth, and it's just amazing that they got A.J. Feeley back," he says. "That Feeley trade to Miami has to be one of the best value trades in the history of the franchise. They get Reggie Brown with the second-round pick and Feeley comes back after two years and look what he does. This system is just right for him. He's perfect here."

We're kicking around names and scenarios for this roster. Does Scott Young make it? (I have my doubts) Does Nick Cole make it? (Why do I keep thinking he will?) Who is the No. 2 halfback? (Correll Buckhalter, I say)

"This is a solid, solid roster," says Caplan.

11:54 a.m.

Before you ask, no thanks on wide receiver Charles Rogers. He has wasted a great chance, and I just can't stand guys like that. Money changes so many things, and high first-round draft picks are certainly no exception.

Rogers had all the talent in the world coming out of Michigan State. What happened? The kid didn't appreciate his opportunity.

11:39 a.m.

I would imagine the Eagles are going to have a lot of opportunities to move some players and to acquire others. I just don't know how much moving around I would do.

I like this roster. I like some of these young players who may or may not make this team. Linebacker Torrance Daniels is a perfect example. He moves pretty well and he's smart. Would another team pick him up if he is waived? Or can the Eagles find a way to get him on the practice squad?

I was talking to one coach before Friday night's game about the importance of the game and of the final cuts. He said, "Dave, there are going to be some surprises. Count on that."

I am. I think there are a handful of scenarios that are developing as we speak.

Let's throw one around now: Would you trade Hank Fraley for, say, a fourth-round draft pick? The Eagles gave up a No. 4 in the Donté Stallworth deal, remember.

I am not convinced I would make that deal. I see Fraley as a valuable guy here, so he has a key spot on the 53-man roster as I see it. Fraley is a backup center and guard. Who else could play in that role?

The Jets want to move wide receiver Laveranues Coles? Why? Is this a new day or what in the NFL ... trades are happening all over the place.