Carson Wentz returned to 11-on-11 drills Sunday.

Yesterday marked the return of Brandon Graham to practice:

If all goes right with Graham, he should be ready to go come week 1 against Atlanta. But defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz mentioned the first step is to get him back in the first place. He’ll probably participate in individuals before slowly getting into team drills.

As for another player getting back into the mix, Carson Wentz once again said it’ll be “close” as to whether or not he plays week 1. It’s also not his call when he gets cleared for contact, which is up to the doctors, although he’s still feeling good out on the field. I think he still plays in the season opener.

There are still questions over the health of Alshon Jeffery and Tim Jernigan. We don’t know when Jernigan might return, but it’s expected he’ll miss some time. As for Jeffery, he still hasn’t suited up for practice since the end of last season and there also haven’t been any real updates to when he might return. It’s been rumored he could start the season on the PUP list, but those rumors were quickly shut down.

We’re a couple days away from the third preseason game against Cleveland, which will go a long way to deciding roster spots and figuring out position battles. The team will also try and figure out the new helmet rule, and the NFL will reportedly send out new teaching videos to help out. Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer said the rule will probably cost jobs and potential playoff spots. Other than that, enjoy the game rehearsal!

In other Birds news, Doug Pederson turned down an offer to have Mike Lombardi co-author for his new memoir.

A detailed look at how the team would preserve a sixth-round pick by cutting linebacker Corey Nelson.

In former Eagle news, Marcus Smith, who was recently cut by the Seahawks, is leaning towards retirement.

The Roundup:


The Phillies return to the field to take on the Washington Nationals for a three-game series in D.C. First pitch tonight is at 7:05 PM on NBC Sports Philadelphia. Vince Velasquez will take the mound.

What if the Phils wanted to re-sign Wilson Ramos this offseason? And should they?

Gabe Kapler said this week that Ramos’ stoicism has stood out and that Alfaro can learn from the veteran’s mannerisms both behind the plate and during mound visits. He compared Ramos’ impact on a young catcher to Jake Arrieta’s on a young pitcher.

“He’s almost stoic,” Kapler said. “That’s an important quality for a catcher to have. Pitchers want to be inspired, but they also want to calmed down.”

Let’s be real, though, if the Phillies do open the checkbook to re-sign Ramos, it will be because of his bat. That calming veteran presence is an added bonus.


In other sports news, here’s a great read into anxiety and depression from Paul Pierce, Chris Bosh, and Kevin Love.

The AP Top 25 was released for the first time this season, with Alabama coming in at #1. Penn State is at 10, but could James Franklin be an overrated coach?

Angelo Cataldi still can’t get over a 24-4 loss.

The Redskins needed a running back. They got one in Adrian Peterson.

Did one EPL commentator, saying a word that meant “cigarettes” in England, need to apologize?


In the news, students have created a “Philly Slang” book for their teachers.

Microsoft alleges new cyberattacks by the Russian government were stopped ahead of the upcoming midterm elections.

UNC students knocked down a Confederate statue known as Silent Sam.