"It's a huge concern, and we can't have it," special teams coordinator Ted Daisher said yesterday. "I met with him [Saturday], and he's aware of it. Jeremy is a very self-accountable guy. He knows that he can't do that, and it's a combination of things, a young man that's pressing, trying to make a good impression, trying to do too much. He's got to secure the football in traffic, and he's got to make better decisions. Being a young returner, it's a process. They have to learn to make good decisions."

For once, the Eagles seem to have several options on returns, including sticking with last year's primary guys, safety Quintin Demps on kickoffs and wideout DeSean Jackson on punts. Demps and Jackson, however, are penciled in right now as starters at their regular positions. Andy Reid historically has preferred that reserves do the returning. Corner Ellis Hobbs is a strong, proven kick returner, and from what we've seen so far, Hobbs doesn't seem all that likely to unseat incumbent starter Sheldon Brown, regardless of how much Brown is at odds with the organization over his contract.

Daisher indicated Jackson will get a chance to return at least one punt against Jacksonville.

"I would love to see him take a rep, and hopefully that's going to take place this Thursday night. That was the plan [against the Colts]. He only plays a certain amount of plays in the game, and it got to the second quarter before we had a punt return. It's just the way it worked out, but there was a plan for him to take a return last week," Daisher said.

Daisher said he felt that on the New England muff, Maclin "was just flat out nervous and misjudged the ball, took his eyes off of it, and that caused that ball to get loose. I think he's trying to press and make a play."

Maclin seems unlikely to start at wideout, at least for now. His best shot at making an impact right away seems to be in the return game.

"It's no excuse for either one of them," Maclin said yesterday. "All I can say, you get 'em out of your way - I'd rather have 'em now [than in the regular season]."

Daisher acknowledged that he won't know how Maclin figures into his return picture until Reid crafts the roster.

"Andy is going to decide where all that goes once we get done, who's available, who's not starting on offense and defense, and we'll go from there," Daisher said. "I think [Maclin] has potential. He's a young guy that's learning how to be in the NFL, and you'd just like to see him be more sound in making decisions and securing the football, but it's a process. I coached Josh Cribbs with the Cleveland Browns 2 years ago, and he had never returned a punt, basically in his life, high school, college or pro, and he became our punt returner. It took him well into the season before he was a good decision-maker and doing the right things all the time. He did end up third in the league in punt returns because he was a gifted returner, but it's a process, and we've just got to get Jeremy through it."

Celek returns

 

With Brent Celek (shoulder) back practicing and proclaiming yesterday he feels "as good as I think I can feel," we can probably cancel the red alert at the tight end position. Undrafted rookie Rob Myers, signed Aug. 8, caught four passes for 44 yards at Indianapolis and certainly looks like a serviceable sub. Matt Schobel (calf) seems healthy again. Harriton High's Eugene Bright, a defensive end at Purdue, remains a long-term project.

There was a report over the weekend that the Eagles had worked out former Dallas tight end Tony Curtis (Jack Lemmon being dead and all). A source close to the situation said the team won't be signing Curtis.

Birdseed

 

In a case of life imitating art, or something, Michael Vick had a copy of "Power, Money and Sex - How Success Almost Ruined My Life," the 1999 Deion Sanders memoir, sitting on the stool of his locker stall yesterday . . . A New York Post report picked up by the Pro Football Talk blog alleged that Vick was seen recently having a drink at a hotel. The Eagles said yesterday that having a drink would not violate the terms of Vick's probation . . . David Akers blasted a 60-yard practice field goal . . . Sean McDermott might have dropped a hint on how the middle-linebacking competition is going between Joe Mays and Omar Gaither, who has been sidelined lately with a knee problem. Defensive coordinator McDermott said Mays, "continues to step up and do a nice job," and that "anytime you miss time, it's hard to challenge for an opportunity there, but Omar is a good linebacker and will continue to add value" . . . McDermott seems to be seeing what the rest of us are seeing from feisty DE Jason Babin. "He was in the backfield, he was disruptive, and he came off the football. From a defensive end standpoint, that's what we're looking for right there," McDermott said. *