There are, no doubt, some bothersome issues hovering on this team that have yet to be resolved. Brian Westbrook's contract. Lito Sheppard's uncertain status since the signing of Asante Samuel. Shawn Andrews' puzzling absence from camp. None of those issues involve McNabb, and he made it clear that's the way he likes it.

"I still feel like I'm a part of it because I get asked questions, but it's nothing that really deals with me, so it feels pretty good," McNabb said after yesterday morning's training-camp practice at Lehigh. "This may be the first time when I don't have to answer questions about myself, so if you guys can keep it that way, it would be excellent."

McNabb was engaged in wishful thinking, of course. For the most part, the Eagles are still very much about him and always will be as long as they employ him. More than any other player, their fortunes this season will hinge on whether he can stay healthy and regain the consistency that made him a Pro Bowl quarterback before a series of injuries cut into each of the last three seasons.

If he doesn't, the prevailing feeling is that the Eagles will close the book on the McNabb era and open one on Kevin Kolb.

But after a week of training camp, it is apparent that McNabb, 31, is well ahead of where he was at this time last season, when his mobility was limited and he appeared heavy-legged because he was only eight months removed from major knee surgery. By the time McNabb seemed close to 100 percent, the season was long lost.

So far, McNabb looks lighter on his feet, and his throws have a lot of zip. Speculation about the shoulder tendinitis that limited his throwing during the last minicamp has subsided.

"He looks sharp right now," Eagles coach Andy Reid said. "He looks very confident in his body because he feels healthy and strong. He's playing very well."

McNabb said he spent the off-season focusing on strengthening his legs.

"It's a big change as far as the way the body is responding after practice," he said.

"It's also how I feel out there. I'm using my legs a lot, which is something I focused on throughout the off-season. And, you know, the release and ball placement is going really well so far."

Of course, training camp is all about optimism. McNabb praised the improvement of receivers Reggie Brown, Kevin Curtis and Jason Avant; anticipated the possibilities when Westbrook and Lorenzo Booker are in the backfield at the same time; and said with no doubt that Andrews, the all-pro guard who has yet to report to training camp, would be back. He said the players who know why Andrews is absent understand his reasons.

The Eagles have said Andrews is not at Lehigh because of personal reasons but that his absence is unexcused. They would neither confirm or deny that Andrews is being fined for each day he has missed.

McNabb said he had not spoken with Andrews but that they had left messages for each other. He said Andrews assured him he would be back.

"Yeah, Shawn will be back," McNabb said. "I'm sure of that, and when he comes back it'll be just like he's always been here. I haven't spoken to him personally. We've kind of been playing phone tag, but he assured me things will be fine and he'll be back.

"I'm all right with Shawn," he added. "You just want everything to be fine. I know when he makes the decision to come back and communicates with everyone, we'll welcome him with open arms."

McNabb said younger players who are trudging through sweaty two-a-day practices should not resent Andrews for not reporting.

"First of all, you have to understand the situation and make your own assumption from it," McNabb said. "If the leaders of this team show [the younger players] that everything is fine and just sit back and let him do his thing, everything will take care of itself."

With that, McNabb finished his weekly media conference, convinced that he was not in the spotlight. For now.

See video of Chris Clemons getting medical attention during yesterday's practice. Plus, Bob Brookover blogs all day from Eagles camp at http://go.philly.com/sports.

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