Head coach Andy Reid addressed reporters after practice on Thursday afternoon, and spent most of the press conference emphasizing the importance for Jeremy Maclin to get in camp as soon as possible.

"It's not a complex deal, if you have opportunities to work in the offense and with your starting quarterback then I think you want to take advantage of that," Reid said. "However it's said and done or worked out, it comes down to playing the game. Any reps you take away from yourself, I think hurts you as a player."

Reid said there has not been significant enough progress over the past day or so.

"He's missing valuable time, and we're not as close as we need to be," Reid said. "This is something that obviously isn't good for Jeremy. Any of these reps that he's missing sets him behind, particularly any with the quarterback and the rest of the offense."

Reid also went over the injury news from today's practice. Six players will be placed on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list: Brian Westbrook, Victor Abiamiri, Shawn Andrews (tight back), Jason Peters (quad spasm), Trevor Laws (hamstring) and Asante Samuel (hamstring spasm).

Andrews' back tightened up on him after the running drills this morning, which Reid said was unfortunate because Andrews did such a good job on them.

"(Andrews) is upset about it, he wants to be out here," Reid said.

Coach Reid also addressed a question regarding Sheldon Brown's status as the number one right cornerback with an unwavering affirmative response.

The Andy Reid training camp is notorious for its physical nature, and Reid is excited to get that going, as tomorrow is the first day of practice with pads.

"I do look forward to getting the pads on tomorrow and letting the guys bang around a little bit," Reid said. "The first couple days aren't too bad, but when the body gets sore, tired mentally and physically, that's when you find out what you're made of here."

But the thrust of the press conference was focused on Jeremy Maclin and his noticeable and prolonged absence here in Lehigh.

"We've been fortunate enough to get guys in here, and get them work, and then the guys that don't have struggled," said Reid of his history as Eagles head coach. "You can't buy back that time. He's going to be playing a catch up game, it's important that he's here, that's the bottom line."

- Posted by Bo Wulf, 5:31 p.m., July 30