Mikell finds Eagles' NovaCare facility quiet as a 'ghost town'

The lockout definitely is thawing, if that isn't too much of a mixed metaphor.

Longtime Eagles safety Quintin Mikell, currently a free agent, visited Nova-Care yesterday, Mikell said (and tweeted). He said he spoke briefly with general manager Howie Roseman, at more length with new defensive coordinator Juan Castillo, and even bumped into Andy Reid in the parking lot as Mikell was leaving.

"It was cool. It was a little weird, like a ghost town. I don't remember it ever being that quiet," said Mikell, who explained he wanted to fetch some items from his locker.

Mikell said he talked to Castillo "about different things he's talking about doing" defensively, and problem areas from last season. Mikell and Reid conversed about "everything that's happened, and how nobody knows what's going on," Mikell said.

Alas, no one offered a contract for Mikell to sign, but that could change next week. The league has said it plans to open facilities completely today, with players allowed to get playbooks, and then apparently everything is full-go Monday, including trades and signings. The Wilmington News Journal has reported the Eagles will hold their first official weight-room workout Monday.

Of course, what everybody wants to know about is Kevin Kolb. Neither Kolb nor agent Jeff Nalley responded to requests for comment yesterday.

Offensive tackle Winston Justice, the Eagles' player rep, also visited the NovaCare Complex yesterday.

The reception they received was far from what happened in Tennessee, when players were met by what they termed "excessive" security at the practice facility.

Two armed, off-duty police officers in uniform joined Titans director of security Steve Berk, according to the Associated Press. A member of the team's security detail is also stationed at the players' entrance into the building.

A person familiar with the Titans' security said the team has had off-duty officers at the facility to assist with security since the lockout began.

"It's a little excessive," said right guard Jake Scott, the Titans' players representative. "I guess they don't want us in, and they don't want what would appear to meet a judge's orders."

Daily News sports writer Les Bowen and the Associated Press contributed to this report.