Eagles Notes: Eagles remain silent on Maclin's illness

BETHLEHEM, Pa. - Despite a report that there would be an announcement on Jeremy Maclin's unidentified illness, neither the Eagles nor the Maclin family had issued an update on the wide receiver's condition as of Tuesday night.

Eagles general manager Howie Roseman said during a radio interview that the team expected Maclin to return from St. Louis "shortly" and rejoin the team.

He did not say anything about the wide receiver's being able to practice, nor did he say he would be ready by the start of the season, although Eagles coach Andy Reid has said he was optimistic about Maclin playing by Week 1.

"We totally anticipate Jeremy being part of our football team," Roseman said on 97.5 the Fanatic. "We anticipate him being back here shortly, with us when we get back to NovaCare."

The Eagles ended training camp at Lehigh University on Tuesday, and will travel to Pittsburgh to face the Steelers in their second preseason game on Thursday. They will return to the NovaCare Complex on Saturday.

Maclin has not practiced with the team since the start of training camp. He reported to Lehigh six days after the start of camp, but spent most of his time lightly running through conditioning drills. He returned to his hometown of St. Louis for further testing on Thursday and has yet to leave.

His brother, Andre Maclin, told the Sporting News on Monday that Maclin was "fine" and that an announcement would come Tuesday. The Eagles never confirmed this.

"We're still waiting on the tests to come in, then we'll be able to get you that information," Reid said early Tuesday.

Reid left open the possibility of an update before the end of the day, but it never came.

With Ryan Harris battling back spasms and Winston Justice still rehabilitating his left knee, King Dunlap will start at right tackle Thursday night.

The 6-foot-9, 330-pound Dunlap started three games last season in place of an injured Justice, but has fallen down the depth chart, with new offensive line coach Howard Mudd favoring smaller, more athletic linemen.

"Well, you look at it that way and I look at it like he gets two Howard Mudd offensive linemen in one," Reid quipped. "Listen, King's a good athlete, and it's just a matter of him getting back into football shape and learning the new techniques.

"And he's played pretty good football the last couple of days in that starting role. . . . It's just an opportunity for him."

Reid said that Harris was "making progress" and could be back "possibly next week." He also said that Justice was "close."

The following players also won't play Thursday: defensive tackle Antonio Dixon (back), defensive end Juqua Parker (calf), defensive tackle Mike Patterson (seizure), linebacker Greg Lloyd (ankle), wide receiver Steve Smith (knee), tackle Fenuki Tupou (knee) cornerback Jamar Wall (hamstring), defensive end Brandon Graham (knee), and safety Marlin Jackson (sports hernia).

Reid said he was being "cautious" with Patterson, who suffered a seizure two weeks ago and is believed to have an arteriovenous malformation near his brain.

In the Steelers game, the first team will play the first half, and the second and third teams will take the second half, Reid said. Jamaal Jackson will start at center, but rookie Jason Kelce could see time with the starters.

LeSean McCoy tried to tamp down concern about any feud with new teammate Steve Smith, but made it clear he's not ready to end his war of words with the Giants' Osi Umenyiora.

"He's a teammate of mine; there's no hard feelings, whatever happened is in the past," McCoy said of Smith, but added, "Now if it's Osi, it's a different story."

When Smith signed with the Eagles and arrived in camp, the initial interaction between him and McCoy was chilly, according to both players.

McCoy and Umenyiora feuded on Twitter over the summer after McCoy wrote that the Giant is "soft" and "overrated." Smith came to Umenyiora's defense, tweeting about "youngins running their mouth" and included a picture of an empty Eagles trophy case.