Abiamiri was walking toward the parking lot with a trainer when the reporter stopped him. They were going for tests on the wrist injury Abiamiri had suffered in that workout - a wrist inury that led to surgery yesterday, and might very well have ended the season of the Birds' biggest, strongest defensive end (6-4, 267).

Eagles coach Andy Reid said after yesterday's morning session that the worst-case scenario for Abiamiri's recovery would be 4 months, which would be late November. A second-year player trying to earn a role in training camp probably isn't going to earn one in late November for the final month of the season. What would determine if this were the worst-case? If the surgery required screws, Reid said, that would be bad.

Later, team head athletic trainer Rick Burkholder said: "He had two screws put into his wrist [by Dr. John S. Taras] to make sure the dislocation was stable. He had the ligaments around the bone that was dislocated repaired . . . He's going to miss the rest of training camp, and then we'll go from there."

We'll probably go to injured reserve and the end of Abiamiri's season from there, given that Abiamiri, who played sparingly as a second-round rookie, needed to learn and grow through preseason games to be a factor.

The day Abiamiri got hurt, defensive coordinator Jim Johnson told reporters: "He's going to be playing a lot on first and second down."

Reid said yesterday: "It's not good. He was playing well. We're lucky we have numbers there, but he was definitely a guy that we were expecting to be in there from the get-go."

The Eagles left minicamp with a glut of defensive ends, but that is not the case today.

In additon to Abiamiri, third-round rookie Bryan Smith is out with a hamstring. Yesterday, free-agent signee Chris Clemons left camp in an ambulance after having heat and dehydration issues. Clemons was released from the hospital last night and presumably will practice again within the next few days.

In the meantime, Eagles fans coming to Lehigh probably are going to see more of Jerome McDougle and Darren Howard than they had anticipated. Juqua Parker (nee Thomas) presumably becomes the starter opposite Trent Cole.

McNabb: sure of Andrews

Donovan McNabb was more positive about right guard Shawn Andrews' return from personal issues than anyone around the situation has been to date, including Andrews' agent, Rich Moran.

"Shawn will be back. I'm sure of that," McNabb said. "When he comes back, it'll be kind of like he's been here."

McNabb said he hasn't been able to speak directly with Andrews: "We have just kind of played phone tag, but he assured me that things will be fine and that he will be back."

Andrews, meanwhile, reportedly texted 950-AM ESPN Radio yesterday with the following message: "You can let everyone know all the rumors are not true. From contractual to retirement, and God knows whatever else is being said. I'm prayed up right now and trying to get right though."

Birdseed

Kimo von Oelhoffen left the morning workout with knee inflammation . . . Brodrick Bunkley sat out with a shoulder contusion . . . Asante Samuel, asked if he will return soon from his hamstring injury, said: "Yeah, yeah, yep." . . . L.J. Smith left the morning practice with a tweaked calf, Andy Reid said.

Quote of note

"If you start losing your tail there, you start losing power. He concentrated on that area, and he's doing good." - Andy Reid, explaining how crucial glute strength is to kickers in general and David Akers in particular. *