Eagles offer more than one familiar line

The Eagles returned for their first practice at the NovaCare Complex on Sunday, and the nearby stadiums and South Philadelphia air weren't all that gave the proceedings a familiar feel.

When Todd Herremans and Jamaal Jackson lined up at their customary spots, left guard and center, the starting offensive line - for a brief moment - was as envisioned. And for what felt like the umpteenth time, Eagles coach Andy Reid said right guard Stacy Andrews "needs to keep getting better every day."

As for the Herremans-Jackson mirage, the Eagles are only halfway there. Herremans is "full go," Reid said, and will play in his first preseason game Friday at Kansas City. But Jackson, less than eight months after knee surgery, will be eased "very slowly" back into contact football, the coach said.

Still, it had to be encouraging for the team to have its projected line together for just one set of plays, especially considering the unit's struggles Friday night in Cincinnati. It was as if Reid had inserted his longest-tenured linemen into the first-team lineup to remind himself that better days are ahead.

"I think, collectively, we can all do better," Reid said. "That's what I think. So that game wasn't about the offensive line. It was about everybody doing a little bit better on the offensive side."

In one half, the starting offense generated 167 total yards and six points. Quarterback Kevin Kolb was under constant pressure, the running backs averaged 4.1 yards a carry, and the line was whistled for five penalties.

With the line's interior - center Mike McGlynn, left guard Max Jean-Gilles, and Andrews - having a particularly rough go, Herremans' return couldn't have come at a better time.

"I think it's going to boost morale a little bit because Todd's always fun out there," tackle Winston Justice said.

Reminded that Herremans is also a pretty good guard, Justice said, "That adds to it, yeah."

Herremans returned to practice a week ago after sitting out most of training camp with foot "soreness." Injury isn't quite the word to use, or at least it is not the word the Eagles have used, because, as Herremans said, "it wasn't like we were trying to heal anything. We were just trying to make sure that it didn't act up."

His foot acted up last August when a stress reaction led to a stress fracture, surgery, and five weeks of recovery. When Herremans returned, the line became more consistent. He's hoping his return this preseason will have the same affect.

"It's just bringing experience out on the field, a little bit of leadership and just an attitude," he said.

If Herremans is the line's comedian, Jackson is its leader, having started 71 consecutive games before his anterior cruciate ligament tear in December. Neither he nor the Eagles have ruled out a return by the Sept. 12 season opener.

"I would bet on myself," Jackson said.

But what if, more realistically, he isn't back until Week 3 or 4 or 5?

"The guys that are out there got to produce," Jackson said.

The 30-year-old won't play Friday, but he could play in the preseason finale against the New York Jets, Reid said. In the meantime, McGlynn will take all the snaps with Nick Cole still sidelined with swelling in a knee. Cole, still ahead of McGlynn on the depth chart, has hardly played in three weeks.

"This is me backing off on him," Reid said, "to make sure we keep the swelling out of that knee."

The Eagles may also be treading softly with Cole because of his versatility as a guard and because Andrews remains an enigma. Andrews hardly played last season as he recovered from his own ACL tear, and he agreed to take a pay cut in the off-season.

Reid and Andrews said the right knee was not a problem. Andrews said his coach's stern words about "getting better" was motivation.

"It's not fear at all," Andrews said. "I've been in certain positions my whole career, whether it's track or football. I know if I slip up on a few things I'm just going to work hard on them at practice and get it ironed out."

He has less than three weeks to get unwrinkled.