Eagles Notes: Rodgers' advice to Kolb: Be patient

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - After sitting and watching for three seasons behind the franchise quarterback, he finally got a chance in his fourth year.

That could be Kevin Kolb's story next season with the Eagles.

That was Aaron Rodgers' 2008 story in Green Bay, when the legendary Brett Favre retired, unretired, and then signed with the New York Jets. Favre's departure cleared a spot for Rodgers, a first-round pick in 2005, to take control of the Packers' offense and, in just his second season as a starter, he earned a spot on this year's NFC Pro Bowl squad.

So what advice does Rodgers have for Kolb?

"You just have to be patient," Rodgers said. "I watched Kevin play and he really did a great job when he got his opportunity. That's really all you can do until you get an opportunity to get your own gig. I know he's a very talented guy and I'm sure he's ready to play.

"By the time I got to my third season, I was like, 'All right, now I'm ready to play, the game is slowing down and that West Coast offense is a lot more familiar to me.' You just have to be patient."

Easier said than done?

"Much, much easier said than done," Rodgers said. "It's definitely a learned trait. It's not something that comes easy to a competitor who feels like they are ready to play. You just have to have small challenges for yourself and keep a long-term vision."

Rodgers said Kolb, a second-round draft choice in 2007, has never asked him for advice on how to handle his situation with the Eagles.

Kicker David Akers, who has a locker next to Kolb's at the NovaCare Complex, said he has never sensed frustration from the Eagles' reserve QB.

"No, I don't think so," Akers said. "Obviously, he wants that opportunity and he feels ready for it, but it's just a matter of getting that chance to do it."

Ron Rivera, the defensive coordinator for the San Diego Chargers, has an idea of what Sean McDermott went through in his first season as the Eagles' defensive coordinator. Rivera also worked as a defensive assistant under the late Jim Johnson before moving on to become the Chicago Bears' defensive coordinator in 2004.

"It's about finding your own identity," Rivera said. "It's the same thing I went through when I first became a coordinator. You've been around Jim and you're inundated with the things Jim did and you want to emulate them. But some of it doesn't quite fit your identity. I think that was one of the biggest things for me."

Rivera said he might have been a little too blitz-happy in his first season as the Bears' coordinator because of his affiliation with Johnson.

"There are so many things you want to do and it is a big book with that defense," Rivera said. "It really is, so to try to find your own identity in that book, it's hard."

Rivera, however, said he still uses the Johnson textbook for coaching defense.

"Oh, yeah," he said. "I still refer to it. There are a lot of great ideas in it and a lot of great ideas how to do things. I think Sean did a good job in his first year and now he has established himself and I think the players see that and say, 'He's got some good ideas.' I was tons better in my second year."

Eagles defensive end Trent Cole was in attendance at the NFC's 40-minute practice yesterday after missing the initial practice Wednesday. Cole said he had to tend to some tree damage done to his South Jersey home during Monday's storm. . . . Dallas quarterback Tony Romo and Minnesota defensive end Jared Allen were also at practice after being absent Wednesday.