Eagles Notebook: Eagles rookie defensive end Graham goes inside

BETHLEHEM - Little something different for Brandon Graham yesterday. The Eagles' first-round rookie defensive end took some snaps inside - as the pass-rushing tackle, the spot Darren Howard filled the past few seasons.

Not a bad fit for Graham, who is a bit of a stubby d-end. He weighs 278 pounds, and is about an inch shorter than his listed 6-2.

"We talked about it a long time ago, and we finally just did it today," Graham said afterward. He added that he thinks he'll get some snaps inside Friday night in Cincinnati, when the Eagles take the field for their second preseason game. "I like that it's always one-on-one, especially if I'm at a three-technique," lining up on the guard' shoulder.

"I don't really have a problem with it; I'm going to get closer to the quarterback, being inside."

For the second week in a row, Marty Mornhinweg dampened the ardor over rookie Clay Harbor's strong camp by hinting he might want someone who's more of a veteran in the backup tight end mix with Harbor and Cornelius Ingram, someone who isn't here yet (but could be when rosters get trimmed across the league. And yeah, we know Nate Lawrie is still here).

Asked about his comfort level with Harbor as his No. 2 tight end, Mornhinweg said: "Well, I just don't feel comfortable going there quite yet. He has a long way to go. He's had a terrific camp up to date, and we just talked about him, he's a tough, physical guy that will hit you. So, he's got a chance to progress, and he's progressed very quickly. Now, there's a long way to go to be in a regular-season game and be effective. So, there's his challenge, and he's got a great opportunity right in front of him."

Ingram, by the way, was a partial participant yesterday because of that knee/calf fluid thing that has bothered him. Still some time to go before the Sept. 12 season opener, but it's really hard to envision Ingram being ready to contribute right now.

Ingram would be ineligible for the physically unable to perform list when the season starts, because he wasn't on it when camp started. Victor Abiamiri would be eligible for regular-season PUP, since he started camp on the list and has not been taken off. Todd Herremans and Jamaal Jackson have been taken off PUP, so they can't go back on. A player who started the season on PUP would have 6 weeks to rehab without counting against the 53-man roster limit. Then there would be a 3-week window where he could be activated.

Protégé LeSean McCoy said he had been communicating with Brian Westbrook and was not surprised to hear he'd signed with the 49ers. The Eagles released Westbrook this year after eight seasons.

"I can't wait" to play Westbrook and the 49ers, Oct. 10 in San Francisco, McCoy said. "I'm going to give him a big hug.

"Since Day 1, he's embraced me with open arms . . . teaching me things, treating me like a little brother. A couple times I stayed out at his house, on his couch."

Best illness excuse ever, from Ellis Hobbs as he exited the field house following the afternoon workout, which he skipped, along with the morning workout: "Bad cereal" . . . Hobbs' fellow starting corner, Asante Samuel, left late in the morning practice with what the Eagles said was a hamstring injury. A team source said the injury isn't considered serious. Samuel didn't seem concerned when he left for lunch; he was wearing no ice bags and wasn't visibly taped. "I'm gettin' too old for this!" he exclaimed, presumably referring to two-a-days . . . After a brief, nonpublic practice this morning, the Birds again bid farewell to Lehigh, but they will return in 2011, general manager Howie Roseman said. Of course, an NFL lockout could intercede.