Finally, Lito Sheppard turned to face the cameras and microphones. Minutes earlier, an Eagles spokesman had dispersed the pack in front of Sheppard's locker stall, with the news that Sheppard did not plan to speak with reporters - even though in his brief remarks on Friday, when he reported for mandatory minicamp, Sheppard had said he would speak at the end of the 3 days of workouts.

Upon further review, though, the reporters decided they knew their man. Sheppard rarely dodges the media, face-to-face. Like many successful skill-position players, he has an ego that is not averse to a little camera time. Though there was no discussion among the media throng, everybody seemed to have the same idea - if enough of us stand here in front of him, Lito isn't going to silently shoulder us aside to flee the locker room.

So Sheppard eventually turned and spoke, his most extensive remarks since it became apparent in February that he wanted to be traded rather than continuing to play under his current contract, which runs through 2011. He spoke about the Birds' unwieldy cornerback situation and about the $57 million free agent, Asante Samuel, who was signed to take Sheppard's place. He did not speak substantively about the most crucial issues - whether Sheppard sees himself playing for the Eagles this season, and whether there is a way he can be happy here if he is not traded, now that there seems to be nothing on the trade horizon.

The next organized team activity (which is what they are calling minicamps these days, for some reason) starts June 3, for established veterans such as Sheppard. Unlike the camp that just ended, that one is optional - the team can't fine him if he doesn't attend. So will he be there?

"I can't think that far ahead," Sheppard said.

What do we know now about the Eagles' three-cornered defensive backfield that we didn't know before minicamp?

Well, the two guys everybody thought might have their boxers in a bunch - incumbent starters Sheppard and Sheldon Brown - didn't say or do anything that could be interpreted as divisive or disruptive. Defensive coordinator Jim Johnson spoke as if he envisions having all three for the 2008 season, and talked of using all three in his base defense, somehow.

Neither Sheppard nor Brown rejected these ideas, though it could be that Sheppard still sees himself being traded before the season.

"As a player, you get along with all your teammates and friends," Sheppard said. "You're all out there for a common goal. You just want to work on one accord, get better, and make each other better.

"[Samuel] is a good player. Whenever you get a chance to watch another good player at your position, you can learn some things. I'm all about improving. With us watching each other, hey, you can only get better from that. Competition is, I think, what brings the best out of everybody . . . I ain't got no beef with Asante; we're from the same part of the United States, Florida. It's a common bond, in that. It's all love, from that standpoint."

Figuring out how to play three starting-quality corners isn't something Sheppard plans to spend much time on, he said.

"That's not for me to worry about, man, I just play football," Sheppard said. Asked whether the rotation in minicamp matched his expectations, Sheppard said: "I don't have any expectations. Like I said, I just play football."

Eagles coach Andy Reid, asked about Johnson's projection, said whether you can use three corners in your base defense probably depends on the opposition.

"It's really week-to-week," Reid said. "If you're playing the Colts, the whole game you're going to be doing that. The Patriots, you'll be doing that the majority of the game . . . Other teams give you a little more double-tight and two backs in the backfield . . . It just depends on who you're going against. I think it's important to have three corners who can play."

Should we conclude from Sheppard's presence this past weekend that he's content being an Eagle, for now? One theory about why a trade hasn't occurred holds that Sheppard, after missing 14 games over the last three seasons, might need to go out and play well for the Birds in 2008 before anyone gives him the kind of contract revision he wants.

"I don't feel any way, right now," Sheppard said. "This was a workout. I definitely needed a workout, to knock some rust off, and that's the way I took it."

Teammates have lauded Sheppard's handling of the situation.

"I've pretty much been myself," Sheppard said. "I'm like this, year-in and year-out . . . I don't think anything is different as far as the way the locker room treats me, or I treat the locker room. That's a different bond."

Did he expect to be traded by now? Is it hard to face so much uncertainty?

"I wasn't expecting anything. I'm just rolling with the flow," Sheppard said. "As long as the surface is smooth, I smooth-glide, baby." *