1Every summer, we hear this is a watershed year for Donovan McNabb. Yet, he's still the quarterback. Should we pay any attention to the rhetoric this time around?

No question, many of us jumped the gun at midseason in '07, assuming McNabb was gone at the end of the year. He played better in the second half and management showed it was not as eager for regime change as some of us had thought.

But Kevin Kolb is not a figment of our imagination. McNabb has to be healthy and good this year, has to lead the Eagles back into the playoffs, as he prepares to turn 32 in November. It's really hard to imagine his era here going forward on anything less than that.

But if McNabb is healthy and productive, the picture changes dramatically. Who in his right mind casts off a healthy, 32-year-old Pro Bowl quarterback? When did that ever happen? McNabb absolutely has the opportunity to put Kolb on ice long term by playing well, which is why Andy Reid has done a funny sort of dance this offseason, talking up the idea of McNabb being here for years to come and de-emphasizing the idea that he is down to his last shot, while at the same time quietly moving Kolb ahead of A.J. Feeley, into the primary backup role. There are two egos that have to be juggled here: Kolb certainly doesn't believe he is 3 or 4 years away from being able to take over a team.

The worst-case scenario is some outcome that isn't cut-and-dried. McNabb is up and down, Brian Westbrook gets hurt, and the Eagles barely miss the playoffs. Then what do you do? Or, say, McNabb is astonishing for 13 weeks, then gets hurt, and Kolb doesn't set the world on fire.

As someone once said, get your popcorn ready.

2 What are the key position battles coming into training camp?

Darren Howard needs to win a defensive-tackle job, essentially, to stay on the roster, if anyone still cares outside the Howard household.

Todd Herremans needs to hold off a challenge at left guard from Max Jean-Gilles. Herremans did better with the offseason conditioning than Jean-Gilles, who still shows signs of being a massive force.

Matt Schobel could be out as a reserve tight end, if Kris Wilson has a good camp. You figure L.J. Smith and Brent Celek are solid, Schobel and Wilson are fighting for one spot.

Somebody will be the fullback, to the extent that the Eagles use one. I think it'll be Luke Lawton. Nothing against Jason Davis, who probably is a better runner, but that just isn't the job here.

Ryan Moats needs a miracle to make the team at running back. I hope Correll Buckhalter doesn't, because he has been such a valiant warrior.

At wide receiver, the Eagles added DeSean Jackson and will shed somebody. As you might have heard somewhere, they don't have a lot of star-quality wideouts, but they do have several serviceable fourth-receiver types who could catch on elsewhere if they don't make it here. They might even be able to get something (not much, but something) for one of them in a trade. Who's on the bubble? I'd say Jason Avant and Greg Lewis, maybe both if Bam Childress or undrafted rookie Jamal Jones make the team. For some reason, I think Hank Baskett sticks around.

3 Is there an out-of-leftfield, age-related move coming, like last year with Jeremiah Trotter?

Some observers think that could happen with Brian Dawkins, who turns 35 this October, but I'd be surprised. Yes, the Eagles have a bunch of safeties they like - more than will make the team. But Dawk is Dawk, a career Eagle, an all-time great, and despite last year's performance, I think his body has more left than Trot's did. You might have noticed, Trot barely played in Tampa last season and isn't anywhere so far this summer.

If Dawkins were to get hurt in camp, I might start to feel differently. But right now, I see Dawk as a key starter. Since the Birds drafted Quintin Demps in the fourth round, that probably means somebody such as Sean Considine, Marcus Paschal or J.R. Reed doesn't make it.

4 Who should we keep the binoculars on at Lehigh?

If he signs and shows up on time, rookie wideout DeSean Jackson. You'll know which one he is without a roster list, the first time you see him go long for a pass or return a punt. Size and attitude are questions, talent is not.

Also, Lorenzo Booker, the Brian Westbrook complement the Eagles got from Miami. Booker is more of a third-down back than Westbrook - he doesn't have Westbrook's stubby, powerful frame. But he sure seems to be able to run a pattern and catch a pass. Andy Reid likes backs who do that, the Daily News has learned.

Some observers think ex-Raider Chris Clemons will make a big difference in the Birds' pass rush. Victor Abiamiri, the biggest and strongest Eagles defensive end, needs a strong camp to show he deserves more playing time in a crowded rotation.

How will Stewart Bradley settle in at middle linebacker? How do young linebackers such as Akeem Jordan and Andy Studebaker fit in?

5 After quarterbacking, where is the major flash point for controversy?

Nobody ever seems to know what Brian Westbrook is thinking, other than Westbrook.

Three years ago, when he didn't like the pace of contract talks, Westbrook fired agent Tony Agnone, hired Fletcher Smith on the theory that management liked Smith better because of his representation of Donovan McNabb, then ignored Smith's advice to report to training camp on time. Westbrook eventually ended his holdout (but then scolded management while sitting at its very own NovaCare podium for a team-sanctioned news conference, something that took even bigger diamond-earring stones than Terrell Owens ever had). Westbrook got a 5-year, $25 million contract extension late that season when management wanted to build locker-room cred while it was cleaning up after the Owens mess.

Now, in the middle of talks to replace that deal, which runs through 2010 and is scheduled to pay him $3 million this season, Westbrook has fired Smith. It is unclear who will represent him by next Thursday, when veterans are scheduled to report to Lehigh. But it is quite clear that Westbrook is willing to hold out, because he has done it before.

Two other, completely contradictory things are also clear: 1) The Eagles have a history of responding really negatively when a player tries to exert leverage, and; 2) Westbrook has a ton of leverage. What is this team without the player who very well might have been the NFL MVP last season?

Westbrook has public sentiment in his corner. The Eagles have a signed contract in their corner.

Let's get ready to rrruummmmbble! *