This has to be good news for Eagles fans: Rookie tight end Cornelius Ingram reports that his surgically repaired left knee has had no problems during his summer training.

Ingram tore the ACL in a preseason workout last August and missed Florida’s national championship season. He then slid to the fifth round in the NFL draft because of concerns about the injury. The Eagles grabbed Ingram with the 153rd overall pick and he was instantly hailed as one of the “steals” of the draft.

“This summer has just been about getting back out there and getting back into doing the little things like fundamentals, running and catching,” he told the Gainesville Sun. “Everything else has been fine.”

Ingram said he felt like he picked up the system pretty quickly during the minicamps and OTAs this spring.

“I’ve been catching on really good with the offense,” he said. “I’ve had the opportunity to be in there and get a lot of reps. My knee has been healthy the entire time. I’ve been getting better every day. I can see that I’m making strides and I feel real good about where I’m at right now.”

He also said that he made sure not to allow his fall in the draft to affect his attitude or performance once he landed with the Eagles. He easily could have come in with a chip on his shoulder and feeling like he had something to prove to the teams that passed him by. The Eagles signed him to a 4-year contract reportedly worth $1.9 million.
 

“I told myself that I wasn’t going to start off like that, because I feel like everything happens for a reason,” he said. “I don’t want to go out and put so much pressure on myself to do something that I wasn’t used to doing.

“My whole mindset was to be relaxed when I started my first camp and make sure I get better. I didn’t want to do something crazy like re-injuring my knee because I was trying to impress someone.”

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From the ex-Eagles file, the Jets have signed offensive lineman Nevin McCaskill, who was recently released by the Packers. Before signing with Green Bay, McCaskill did a stint on the Birds' practice squad.

This is an Eagles blog, but any Philadelphia sports fan should be offended by the conclusions reached by the folks at Men's Health on this one ...

In its July/August issue, the magazine ranked the sports obsession levels of fans in cities around the country.

Philly was listed as No. 84. Yes, No. 84 and earned a grade of D-.

As we mentioned this to folks around Eagletarian headquarters, each had the same quizzical look on his face and said, "Eighty-fourth? Eighty-fourth?"

Here is a sense of the criteria the magazine used: how many people attended baseball, basketball, and football games (college and pro), and attendance at high school events. NASCAR attendance was factored in as was numbers for TV and radio audiences, the Scarborough Sports Marketing figures on the number of people vying for tickets, sales of team gear and how many people identify themselves as fanatics.

Here are the six cities that earned A's:

1) Arlington, Texas  A+

2) Aurora, Colo.  A+

3) Colorado Springs, Colo.  A+

4) Indianapolis  A

5) Columbus, Ohio  A-

6) Jacksonville, Fla.  A-

Forth Worth and Dallas were next, giving Texas three of the top eight.

At least, Philly can say it is better than New York, which came in 88th and also with a D-.

Or Los Angeles at No. 91, another D-

Or Miami, the bottom of the list, at No. 100, with an F.

The magazine touted that the complete list would be on its Web site here. Although we could see how you might be distracted by the article titled, "What Erin Andrews wants in a man."

Good grief ...

When Tiger Woods jabs his tee into the turf this morning for the AT & T National pro-am in Bethesda, Md., he will be playing with Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo. First, Romo's current dish, deposed pop diva Jessica Simpson, will sing the national anthem.

Woods understands that inviting Romo, a passionate golfer, to Redskins territory might have been risky . . . if Romo was a sensitive sort.

"It's just going to be a fun round, but also an interesting one," Woods said. "He's used to getting booed."

Especially in an NFC East city.
 

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In case you missed it, here is what Ellis Hobbs had to say during an online chat yesterday. 

New Eagles cornerback Ellis Hobbs did a chat over at ESPN.com today, talking about the Eagles' chances and his departure from New England.

Asked about the Birds' chances of winning it all, Hobbs said, "We're loaded with talent and all we have to do is put it together."

Hobbs said he would like to return kicks as long as he was successful at it, but termed whether he would as the "million-dollar question."

Of teammate Asante Samuel, with whom he also played in New England, Hobbs said: "Everyone portrays it negatively because we're different styles of player, but we're actually good friends."

Hobbs said he liked the environment with the Eagles. "It makes you want to work that much better, because the environment is very comfortable."

As for the Patriots, Hobbs was asked if he had any ill feelings toward the Pats: "Somewhat. I just think as far as PR went, I wasn't put out there like I felt I should have been. As far as the winning and the coaches, no, I didn't have any ill feelings." He did acknowledge that he expected to leave the Patriots, but he did not think it would happen as quickly as it did, with the draft day trade. 
 

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Also, to follow up on yesterday's post that generated some conversation about the Eagles and actual dollars, NFL.com Jason La Canfora has now broken the salary up by dollars per win.

The Eagles come in eighth on that list, with 46 wins from 2004 to 2008 at $10.77 million per win.

The Patriots are tops on the list at 63 wins at $8.14 million apiece, followed by Indianapolis also with 63 wins, but at $8.44 million apiece. San Diego and Pittsburgh are the only other two teams at less than $10 million per win.

Oakland is at the bottom with 20 wins at $25.66 each.

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To read our earlier post with Ron Jaworski's thoughts on Donovan McNabb's contract and other Eagles issues, click here.

Unlike the big to-do made of Donovan McNabb’s contract restructuring last week, Monday Night Football analyst Ron Jaworski doesn’t think it’s such a big deal.

“I think it’s irrelevant, to tell you the truth,” Jaworski said while sitting in his office at NFL Films last week in Mount Laurel.

Jaworski was participating as an instructor in last week’s 3rd annual NFL Broadcast Boot Camp for present and former players looking to break into television and radio.

“Donovan had two years left on his contract. I felt all along that he would fulfill the two years. The Eagles probably did the right thing, they had money under the cap and they gave it to a guy who is a big key to season.

“If you’re going to be a championship team, your team has to play well. There have been times, occasionally, that an average quarterback wins a Super Bowl. But it’s all about what’s your best chance to win a Super Bowl … Their best chance is with Donovan McNabb,” Jaworski said.

As a former Eagles Pro Bowl quarterback, Jaworski can understand why it was important for McNabb’s mental state to re-work his contract.

“I would think that they believe in me,” Jaworski said. “They believe I’m the guy. They laid 5 million on my lap. They could have easily said to play the next two years how the contract is.”

With a healthy – and happy – quarterback, Jaworski thinks that the Eagles offense will operate a little more smoothly this year. Aside from McNabb, the upgrades on the offensive line and at receiver can’t hurt. But a lot depends on how the team’s collective personality jells.

Jaworski knows that each new player brings a new dimension to the locker room.

“Although I think there have been upgrades in the talent and youth, chemistry is always the unknown,” he noted. “You look at the offensive line and they are huge – but can those 5 work as one?”

In the end, Jaworski thinks that the Eagles will be standing at the top of the NFC East standings at the end of the upcoming season – despite changes abound to opponents’ rosters.

“Although I think the Eagles are a better football team … [the division is] my biggest concern. The Giants are a heck of a football team. You’re going to have to contend with Albert Haynesworth in Washington. Dallas is still a very talented football team. I think the NFC East is a hell of a division.

“I still like the Eagles.”
 

To read today's Daily News story on the NFL Broadcast Boot Camp, click here.

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From the ex-Eagles file, Sean Considine has been penciled in as the starting strong safety for the Jacksonville Jaguars.

“I wanted the opportunity to start when I first went in and talked to them," Considine told the Rockford Register Star in his hometown in Illinois. "They told me I would be given that chance, and the rest is up to me. Their defense is quite a bit different from what I’m used to, though. There are a lot of adjustments I still need to make.”

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To read our post about Ellis Hobbs' view of the Eagles' chances, click here.

UPDATED: The Eagles have issued a press release, confirming the deal.

Eagles second-round pick LeSean McCoy has agreed to a 4-year contract, according to the Twitter feed of his agent, Drew Rosenhaus. Rosenhaus says McCoy becomes the first second-round pick to agree to a deal.

An Eagles source has now confirmed the signing.

With Brian Westbrook recovering from ankle surgery, the Eagles obviously wanted McCoy on hand for the July 26 opening of training camp. For all the adventures Rosenhaus has authored with veteran clients, his rookies don't tend to hold out. Rosenhaus knows that missed time usually leads to disappointing rookie years.

"I haven't had a rookie holdout in 5 years," Rosenhaus told the Daily News last month.

He agreed that the Eagles' offense is tailor-made for McCoy, much as it was for Westbrook.

Rosenhaus adroitly sidestepped a question about how McCoy might benefit if Westbrook really is on the decline, after knee and ankle cleanouts this offseason. He noted that "just about all the really good teams" are going to two-back systems, suggesting more than an apprentice role for McCoy, regardless of Westbrook's situation.

McCoy posted 3,365 total yards from scrimmage and 36 total touchdowns during a productive two-year career at Pittsburgh. McCoy registered 2,816 rushing yards and 35 touchdowns on 584 carries (4.8 yards per carry), while catching 65 passes for 549 yards and one score.

Once McCoy's deal becomes official, the Eagles will have all their draft picks under contract except first-round wide receiver Jeremy Maclin, and there is still plenty of time for that deal to be completed.

The Eagles ranked 20th in the NFL in actual dollars spent on salaries from 2004 to '08, according to numbers obtained by Jason La Canfora, the former Washington Post Redskins writer who recently joined the NFL Network. The numbers are gross totals spent on player salaries and bonuses.

The Eagles spent $495.75 million, and La Canfora says the Birds are among the teams that "stand out, stringing together a good run without grossly overspending." He makes the same case for the Giants (No. 19, $497.63 million) and Bears (21st, $495.57 million). Of course, all three teams reached a Super Bowl during that span, with the Giants winning the title. New England is 10th at $513.31 million.

Conversely, the team at the top of the list in spending -- to no one's surprise -- is the Dallas Cowboys at $566.89 million and still searching for an elusive playoff victory. The Redskins -- backed by Daniel Snyder's cash -- are third at $547.37 million. Seattle is a surprising second at $552.42 million.

Pretty interesting list when you consider how the relationship between spending and success works in baseball, with the teams near the top of the list generally making the postseason with the usual exception or two every year.

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Eagles linebacker Charleston Hughes has picked up his championship ring from last season with the Calgary Stampeeders in the CFL. Now, Hughes is hoping to be able to join the exclusive company of the four players to win both a Grey Cup and a Super Bowl. He signed a 3-year deal with the Eagles in the offseason.

"The goal is to have one of each," Hughes said. "That would be special."

Hughes is featured today in his hometown paper, the Saginaw News in Michigan.

Eagles special teams ace Tank Daniels is using part of his time off until training camp to hld a football camp in the tiny town of Holland, Texas.

This is the second year of the camp and it was moved to Holland this year at the urging of his Harding College (Ark.) teammate and current Holland assistant coach Rae Holder.

“I want to come back to a small town, because I’m from a small town,” Daniels told the Temple Daily Telegram.  “I want to show these kids, ‘I’m just like you. Anything you want you have to work real hard for. NFL players, NBA players, they are just like you. They just worked hard at what they wanted to do. If you want to accomplish that you have to work hard to accomplish it. It’s not above you.’”

Daniels will be assisted by Giants wide receiver Domenik Hixon and offensive tackle Na’Shan Goddard. 

Daniels was a member of the Giants Super Bowl team before returning to the Eagles. He is hoping for a bigger role at linebacker this season with the Birds.

“I’ve been a Super Bowl champion and to know guys that I look up to and I admire like Brian Dawkins or Jeremiah Trotter or Donovan McNabb, to look at the greats like Dan Marino, and to think I’m a part of something that they’ve never been a part of and not had a chance to feel that joy and excitement to be a champion, that’s definitely one of my greatest accomplishments,” he said. 

“But I am by no means satisfied. When you win one - I see why guys want another and another - because it’s not good enough, and that greed starts to set in you want the feeling the rest of your career. I just want to continue to better myself and my career, earn a starting job, to better myself and my team.” 
 
 

Offensive line coaches rarely get much attention or accolades. Without question, the Eagles' Juan Castillo is among the best in the NFL.

Now, the chance for Castillo to get recognized for his success and his work is mired in controversy in his hometown of Port Isabel, Texas.

The city is scheduled to present Castillo with the key to the city during a "Juan Castillo Day" celebration. The problem is, that ceremony is scheduled for July 4. Some are arguing that a different date should have been selected and the Fourth of July should be used to honor veterans instead of their hometown hero's football accomplishments.

“I just don’t think it should be July 4th, maybe July 5th on a Sunday,” resident Anna Maria Avila told KGBT-4.

City Manager Edward Meza said the decision for the Fourth was made because of Castillo’s schedule, and not to replace Independence Day. Meza adds it also made sense since Castillo's story epitomizes the American dream, which is what Independence Day represents.

“In no way should it undermines the Fourth of July, Independence Day, this was just in celebration on a local person that is an inspiration to others,” said Meza.

Unfortunately, the city has received some racist emails and phone calls in the wake of the decision.

Castillo did not comment to KGBT and Eagles assistant coaches other than coordinators are not allowed to speak to the Philadelphia media under team policy.