Eagles players, sans Jackson, talk about working out together

Brent Celek was working his phone last night as he prepared to enter DeSean Jackson's charity gala, to benefit pancreatic cancer research. Tight end Celek was trying to secure a field for this coming week, where Eagles quarterback Michael Vick could throw to his receivers, as the Birds remain idled by the NFL lockout.

Vick, who said he got some throws in recently with wideouts Jeremy Maclin and Jason Avant, eventually joined Celek and several other teammates at the Jackson event, held at the Fairmount Park Water Works. Vick said he hopes for "15 or 16" participants, mostly Eagles but maybe a few guys from other teams.

"We'll have receivers, we'll have DBs out there, we already have some guys coming back," Vick said. "We'll try to get some one-on-ones going, do it our way. This time, we can do it our way. I can kind of instruct 'em.

"This is an opportunity for us to come together and kind of put the plan together on how we're going to approach the season. We're all excited, we're all confident."

Vick said he sees organizing the workouts as part of his duties as a leader.

Wideout Jackson said he will not be part of the workout group; he is scheduled to head back to California. Jackson said he and Vick don't really need to work out together.

"We're on the same page," Jackson said yesterday. "He's busy doing things he's doing. I'm busy doing things I'm doing. We both know how to work" separately.

Also attending last night was defensive end Brandon Graham, who said he is rehabbing his repaired ACL more than 6 hours a day, 5 days a week, in the Los Angeles area. Eagles coach Andy Reid has said he does not expect Graham to be ready for the start of the season, and Graham reluctantly confirmed that timeline, although he said his rehab is progressing well, and he has the injured knee and the quad muscle above it back to about 65 percent of his unaffected leg.

Graham said he expects to quickly reach 80 percent strength, which will be when he can resume running.

"I feel like I can be almost there, but I probably won't be back for the start of the season," Graham said. "I want to be sure."

Graham, the Eagles' first-round draft choice last year, said that, unlike most people, he is in no hurry for the lockout to be over. (Fullback Leonard Weaver has voiced a similar thought - a longer lockout means more healing time.)

"I've got nothing but time. It doesn't matter to me - we could start in October," Graham said. "I'm excited. I'll be ready then."

Graham also was excited that the Eagles didn't draft a defensive end, in a strong crop - a bit of a surprise, and an indication that Reid sees Graham contributing this season.

"I was excited that coach gotta lot of hope with me," Graham said. "I got a lot of expectations myself, on what I'm going to bring this season."

Graham said he spoke to new defensive coordinator Juan Castillo and new defensive line coach Jim Washburn while the lockout was briefly lifted, during the draft. Graham said he had planned to fly to Philadelphia the Monday after the draft, until the owners won their temporary stay of the injunction that had lifted the lockout.

"Juan's got a great plan, and I'm excited," Graham said. "Coach Washburn, you know he's ready. He told me, 'Hey, man, it's all in your hands this year, basically, on what you do. I know who I want to play, but it's up to you, on what you do.' I told him, 'It's on, man.' I just hope whatever happens with this lockout, we at least have a chance to get a camp in or something."

Another guest last night was Jackson's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, who said he also intends to appear at LeSean McCoy's charity day today in Harrisburg. When the lockout ends, Rosenhaus will be under pressure to deliver a new contract for Jackson, who is scheduled to make $565,000 this season, the final year of his rookie deal.

"I'm confident Drew will take care of what he needs to take care of," Jackson said. He said he does not have a specific receiver's contract in mind, as a benchmark, but "I think I'm one of the most explosive players in the NFL." *

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