Opening Remarks:"Welcome out here to Lehigh. It's good to see everybody. Some of you guys that I saw yesterday it's good to see you made it up here safely. Let me start with these injuries and get these out of the way, then we'll talk about training camp. (RG) Stacy Andrews will practice, as of today. He came up and (head trainer) Rick (Burkholder) is in the process of going back through and looking at his knee, but he should be ready to go tomorrow. (G) Max Jean-Gilles, likewise should be ready to go. (RB) Brian Westbrook and (DE) Victor Abiamiri, Victor strained a (pectoral) muscle and so I wouldn't expect them back, at least for a couple of weeks, mid-August, somewhere in that area. (LS) Jon Dorenbos has a virus, shingles and we'll have to see. Right now he can't get on the plane, so when they allow him to do that he'll be here. (WR) Kevin Curtis should be fine for practice."
On when Stacy Andrews will practice: "Stacy will be able to practice tomorrow. We'll just how he does. Right now that's what we're looking at."
Opening Remarks continued: "Obviously we're looking forward to the 2009 season. We understand that expectations are up and we welcome that as a football team, and as a coaching staff, with the full understanding that you're only as good as the day's work that you put in. We will work hard this camp and as expectations go up, obviously tolerance levels go down.
"As a coach I want to see guys coming out here and working hard. I want to see them mastering the playbook and executing. We have some areas that are of obvious concern. When we talk about the red zone and goal line and short yardage, those are areas that we have to focus on and get better at. The mistakes and execution problems, we have to make sure we focus in and take care of those. As coaches we need to make sure we put our players in the right position to do that.
"All and all, it's an exciting time. It will be great to get the rookies and some of the players that fall into that selected vet category, the guys that were injured - and the quarterbacks – (guys) that were injured last year, had surgeries, that are allowed to be here. We'll start with them tomorrow. I think it's a great time. I know different teams are doing different things, one of which is eliminating the rookie camps, I think it's a great opportunity for these young guys to get a review of what they are going to see in the first three days of training camp. We'll go two practices tomorrow, which is Monday, on Tuesday two practices, and on Wednesday one practice and then the veterans will come in that evening. The time is yours."
On how much of a setback Abiamiri's injury is: "Nobody's more driven than Victor. He wants to be out here playing and the injuries frustrate him. However, things happen. He's just got to get over it and get himself healthy and get back out and perform."
On how Abiamiri's injury happened: "He was benching."
On when Abiamiri was injured: "It was just a couple weeks back."
On how important the first three days are for the rookies and his hopes for rookie WR Jeremy Maclin: "I've said this the last 10 years, so I'll say it again here. I think it's important for the rookies to be here. I think it's very important. Any day you miss puts you behind and I felt as we progressed through the minicamps that Jeremy was just getting used to this offense. He did go out and work out with (QB) Donovan (McNabb) in Arizona, however I still think he needs the extra work from a team perspective. We want him here. We'll see how today finishes up, whether things work out, and then we'll go from there."
On the most recent update on Maclin's contract talks: "Nothing has been agreed on yet. He hasn't signed yet. We'll see how things go through the day. I think we're close in a couple areas, we need to get closer in a couple other areas."
On whether he would consider Maclin reporting on time if he arrived for tomorrow morning's practice:"Yes, if you miss a practice…"
On whether it's okay if he missed tonight's check-in as long as he arrived in time for practice: "I want him here for the check-in, but I obviously want him for the practice too."
On how much time Maclin would have to miss before he adjusts his expectations: "I would say that I know (WR) DeSean (Jackson) being here last year helped him. I think when he was given that opportunity to step in as a starter he was ready. I think these three days give you a chance to narrow the learning process those first three days of the veteran camp when you're also being asked to hit and you're in full uniform, and so on. You're not going through that whole thinking process quite as strenuously as you would if you're not here."
On Brian Westbrook's progress and when he might return: "Brian's actually up here now, or going to be up here now for these three days. He will be here working with Rick and rehabbing. He won't do any work on the field. He'll just do his rehab work. He won't go to any meetings. It's strictly going to be getting him back rehabbing with Rick and he spent the offseason here doing the same thing."
On whether Westbrook's walking boot has been taken off:"I don't know that. I wouldn't know what to tell you."
On what the perfect scenario for Westbrook's training camp would be: "I think he has a chance to be back by mid-August and then we'll just take it from there. You never know on these things. Everybody heals a little bit different. Some people heal faster than other people. We'll just see how it works out."
On what his definition of Westbrook being back means: "In a position where he can practice. Brian has a pretty good feel of the offense. Then it will just be a matter of making sure that he's healthy once we get ready for Carolina. We'll just see where he is in August when he's able to practice."
On whether Westbrook's history of not practicing makes him less concerned: "No. I still think he needs a little practice before he plays."
On whether he feels Maclin will be in camp soon: "I've been through enough of these. You don't know. The agents, obviously, are going to push it right to, as far as they can push it. Some of it is determined by who signed ahead of you and who signed behind you, and when their camps start. We've just got to see how the whole thing works out."
On whether Abiamiri will be at camp: "Yes, Victor will be up here."
On whether he agrees with Eagles President Joe Banner's assessment of the team's personnel: "Joe, I think is complementing our personnel department there. I would say that the personnel department, I thought, did a great job. Between (General Manager) Tom (Heckert) and (Vice President of Player Personnel) Howie (Roseman) and (Director of Pro Personnel) Jon (Sandusky), they all did a phenomenal job of getting players in here. I think it gives us as coaches, an opportunity for success. It's our responsibility, and the players' responsibilities to gel as a football team."
On whether or not this is the most talented roster he's had coming into camp: "I think there's good talent here. But I also mentioned to you before we went on break here, that it's important that we come together as a football team and we'll see how that works out at this camp."
On whether this training camp is more significant than past years because of the new and young faces that are potential starters: "Well there are a lot of new faces, both young guys and veteran free agents that have signed here, and they have no idea other then what they've been told about this training camp. So, it's important that they come in here and they handle the physical part of it and the mental part of it and those things pay off for you as the season goes on. You don't necessarily make a team here, that process starts back in the offseason as you condition yourself for this right here-- and then continues to progress through all the highs and the lows of the season."
On the number of players that will be at camp for the next three days: "(Jokingly) You're supposed to know that not me. I'll give a roster, how's that? We won't be able to have full team periods. We don't have enough linemen. Every other spot we've got enough players to go, so we'll do seven on sevens and individual periods and that kind of thing."
On why some teams are going away from the rookie-only portion of training camp: "I don't know. I really haven't asked anybody. Other then I've heard injuries and that type of thing, we've been fortunate enough to where we haven't had too many of those, so it works out okay. We keep it more as a learning process as opposed to beating the guys up."
On whether or not the 30-and-over club workouts are being conducted again this year at training camp: "(Jokingly) I added the head coach to that-- he's going to take every second day off. No, it'll be the same thing. There will be a thirty-plus club."
On Team President Joe Banner saying that the team won't sign a free agent running back: "We always keep our eyes open, and we'll continue to do that. We'll just see how things work out here as we get started."
On Brian Westbrook not going to meetings: "Just the first three days. Once the veterans get in then he'll start doing all the meetings."
On whether he is less tolerant of people making mistakes at training camp than he was in the past:"If it's the same guy making the same mistake, I'm not into that. And those guys don't usually hang around here very long. So, I expect those new people that are here to get in the flow quickly and I have no reason to think that they won't. But that challenge is there for them."
On whether Reid is less tolerant now then he was when he was younger: "I don't know if I'm less tolerant. I just think I know the player that I have and I expect them to be better probably then I did when I first got here. And, I expect them to make sure they're doing their best and keep it consistent. And when I say tolerance I think I'm referring more to that."
On the speed of Stacy Andrews' recovery from ACL surgery: "That's something that doesn't happen very often and that falls into that category of everybody heals a little bit different. I think players approach things different, injuries different. This kid, we had to kick him out of the building, he's that type of personality. He is a relentless worker. He doesn't say much, he's very quiet. His work ethic has been phenomenal since he's been here and I think that has led to the success of his rehab. He put full trust in Rick and our doctors and he had no questions. After they were done working out, he asked what he could do to enhance his recovery every day, and did it."
On whether Reid knew about Stacy Andrews' work ethic before they signed him: "We had heard that, but you never know until they're here."
On whether Reid knows how much longer he wants to coach: "I haven't thought about that. I haven't thought about how long I want to go. Listen, I love Philadelphia. I love the Philadelphia Eagles organization; I don't think there's any better organization in the National Football League. But to be very honest with you, I'm focused on tomorrow and getting this season moving on the way it needs to move on and the way that I want it to move on."
On how Reid reacts to Team President Joe Banner saying his team has the best roster in the NFL:"I don't look at those things. I didn't even see that comment. But, that doesn't faze me, I don't care about that. I want have the best roster, that's what we strive to have here. So, to me, if that's what was said, that's a compliment. Now let's go. Let's go play. That's what it's all about."
On former Eagles WR Todd Pinkston as an intern coach: "Todd always had a great attitude here. I remember going back to his rookie year, he came in this little skinny guy and he was the only receiver his rookie year not to miss a practice, and that impressed me. He is a coach's kid, he always wanted to be a coach and he's coaching at the high school level and this gives him a chance to get better. I was talking to a couple of the coaches that have been around here awhile and I was saying we're getting old. When your players start coming back and coaching for you then it means you been doing okay, coaching in one place for a long time."
On getting the offensive line to work as a cohesive unit: "We'll see how that goes. I want to see how they do in practice. I liked what I saw in the minicamps. I think you have to add Stacy into the mix there and see how he does. And again we'll keep a close eye on Stacy with his leg and so on. We've got a pretty good player that started for us a few games in there that I know could start for us (in G Nick Cole). So, we'll just work Stacy in there and see how it works."
On how much the rookies benefit from having Donovan McNabb here at the first three days of camp: "I'd say that about all the quarterbacks. As a receiver, you want to make sure that you have a great relationship. When I say receiver, I'm talking about running backs, tight ends and the wide receivers. You want to have a great relationship with your quarterback and you want to be as much on the same page with him as you can. There's no secret on how to do that, you have to work together. So, the young fellows that are here, they're going to have an opportunity to do that."
On whether or not he has spoken to CB Sheldon Brown: "You know, I actually texted with Sheldon. You didn't know I could text did you?"
On whether or not Sheldon Brown will be coming to training camp: "It was good. He hasn't lost his sense of humor. He's ready to go."
On whether Reid texts a lot: "You know, believe it or not I do."
On whether he uses Facebook: "I don't do that."
On whether he uses twitter:"I don't twitter, no twitter."