Defensive coordinator Sean McDermott explained on Wednesday that it's hard to develop chemistry when there are moving parts.

And the one area McDermott would love to solidify would be the linebacker position, which was the most fluid during McDermott's first year as defensive coordinator in 2009.

Injuries played a key role in the merry-go-round that took place. No need to rehash.

But with the first-team alignment of Ernie Sims, Stewart Bradley and Akeem Jordan healthy heading into the preseason opener on Friday night, the potential to develop that chemistry is there.

"Sometimes all it should take is a look and you know how to handle something and then you come off the field and you verify it," McDermott said. "Those of us that have played it, that's just how the games work. When you get good working together, it doesn't even take communication."

If those three start in Week 1, it will be vastly different than the Week 1 starters from just a year ago. To help further that chemistry, Sims, acquired in the offseason in a trade from the Lions, moved into the same neighborhood as Bradley and the two have become close friends. Jordan is the only one of the three who started for the Eagles last season, but he was primarily on the weak side or in the middle. And even Jordan was sidelined for a few weeks with an injury. Now on the strong side, Jordan's ability in coverage should help the effect tight ends have over the middle.

"He's productive and he's got great instincts, he's an undrafted free agent coming out of college and he's playing that position," McDermott said. "All of the reasons that he's playing that position are the reasons why he's been around the NFL as long as he has. He's productive, he's got great instincts, and he's a tough hard-nosed football player."

Now that the preseason is upon us, let's see if the trio can take a collective step towards solidifying their roles for the start of the season.

-- Posted by Chris McPherson, 5:00 p.m., August 11