The Eagles offense is trying to find out just how good Ellis Hobbs really is.

After getting beat deep on a double move down the right sideline by DeSean Jackson on Friday, Kevin Kolb tested Hobbs once again with wide receiver Reggie Brown. During 11-on-11 drills, Kolb went deep for Brown down the right sideline against Hobbs. Brown was in position to make the catch, but Hobbs did a phenomenal job closing in to break up the pass.

That wasn't enough of a test for Kolb. On the first rep of the next series, Kolb went after Hobbs again on the same exact play with Brown. And Hobbs proved once again to be up to the challenge.

"Everybody's trying to test to see where I'm at ... I take it for what it is and I accept it," Hobbs said after practice.

The difference Hobbs said is six inches. Hobbs said that defensive coordinator Sean McDermott preaches to his players to "find six inches."

"How much more can you do to get that much better because in the end, that's what it is," Hobbs said. "Ninety-nine percent of the plays could have gone either way ... somebody found that inch and the other person didn't."

Hobbs was acquired by the Eagles from the Patriots for a pair of fifth-round draft picks on draft weekend. The fifth-year veteran started 49 games over four seasons for the Patriots. He started alongside Asante Samuel the year the Patriots went 16-0 in the regular season. Coming over to the Eagles, Hobbs can see why the Eagles have won a lot of games this decade.

"The Patriots and the Eagles come in with the same attitude - to get better," Hobbs said. "If we're not getting better, we're getting worse. You can see that permeate throughout all of the players."

Sheldon Brown is entrenched as the starter at right cornerback. Hobbs is playing right cornerback for the first team during Asante Samuel's absence. It remains to be seen where Hobbs will fit in since Joselio Hanson is the nickel back. On kickoff returns, Hobbs took his first reps of training camp at the end of this morning's workout. He said not to look too much into who is taking the reps early in practice because the team already knows what he can do. Hobbs has averaged an eye-popping 27.7 yards per return for his career, which includes an NFL-record 108-yard touchdown return.

-- Posted by Chris McPherson, 2:28 p.m., August 1