Eagles Notes: Strap on the pads, everyone will play

BETHLEHEM, Pa. - Ready or not, the Eagles will open the preseason Thursday against the Baltimore Ravens with most of their projected first team in the lineup.

The Eagles will be without several starters - most notably, wide receivers DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin - but the majority will play the first quarter even if some have hardly practiced and a few are coming off minor injuries.

Nnamdi Asomugha falls under both categories, having not practiced through the first week of training camp because he was a free agent acquisition and only sparingly the past week because of an upper-leg inflammation. But the cornerback is still slated to go.

"I'm ready. It's still football," Asomugha said after a Wednesday morning walk-through at Lehigh University. "I think we're all ready. None of us have really practiced that much."

The 4 1/2-month NFL lockout has every team in the same boat. However, the Eagles may have more at stake - and thus offer more intrigue - because of the mass turnover on the roster and the significant changes made to the coaching staff.

Juan Castillo, for instance, will be calling his first game as defensive coordinator after 14 seasons as the Eagles' offensive line coach.

"We're just trying to make sure everything flows together and get our communication down, and Coach Juan's philosophy," Eagles cornerback Asante Samuel said. "It's been a lockout. We had no minicamps. We have to start putting things together. Get the feel for things. Get all the wrinkles out."

Castillo may show a few wrinkles he plans to keep as well. Now that it appears likely the Eagles will keep their trio of Pro Bowl corners - Asomugha, Samuel and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie - Castillo will have to find ways to utilize all three.

Samuel and Rodgers-Cromartie are expected to start at left and right corner with Asomugha playing some nickel, likely because he has practiced so little. Nate Allen will start at strong safety, even though the Eagles have eased him into action after December knee surgery.

Jamaal Jackson, playing in his first preseason game in two years, will start at center. Jackson sat out the preseason slate a year ago as he recovered from a torn anterior cruciate ligament. When he returned for the opener he suffered a season-ending torn triceps.

Jackson has been splitting first-team repetitions this camp with rookie Jason Kelce, who will likely do the same in the game. Right guard Danny Watkins, middle linebacker Casey Matthews, kicker Alex Henery, and punter Chas Henry are rookies who will start, however. The rest of the rookies will play after the first quarter.

Jackson and Maclin don't have to worry about making the team, although the Eagles would have preferred to have them in tow against the Ravens. Jackson, after an 11-day holdout, reported to camp on Sunday. He said he should be ready to don the practice pads for the first time on Saturday and face the Steelers next Thursday.

Quarterback Michael Vick said he threw to Jackson Wednesday morning.

"Our timing was impeccable," Vick said.

Maclin, in camp with an unidentified illness, has not been cleared to practice as the Eagles continue to evaluate tests.

Riley Cooper and Jason Avant will start in place of Jackson and Maclin. Chad Hall and Johnnie Lee Higgins could see time with the first team if the offense uses three- or four-receiver sets.

The second team will play the second quarter. Backup quarterback Vince Young, also signed as a free agent, will helm that offensive unit.

"I just want to get a rhythm, go out there and make calls, get guys going and ready to play, not trying to do too much," said Young, who has only five days of practice with the Eagles under his belt.

Quarterbacks Mike Kafka and Jarrod Johnson will handle the third and four quarters, respectively. With rosters expanded to 90 the second half could be chaotic.

Marlin Jackson underwent surgery to correct a sports hernia on Wednesday, but the Eagles haven't decided what to do with the perennially injured safety just yet.

Jackson, who while with the Colts tore the ACl in his right knee in 2008 and on the other knee in 2009, was trying to come back from the ruptured Achilles tendon he suffered last spring. But he injured his groin, the Eagles said, last week and left Lehigh on Monday.

The Eagles didn't rule out Jackson for the start of the season - sports hernias can take anywhere from three weeks to two months to recover from - but his future remains in doubt.

Defensive end Victor Abiamiri, who was placed on injured reserve earlier this week after he ruptured his Achilles, also had surgery on Tuesday.

Defensive tackles Trevor Laws (hip) and Brandon Collier (ankle) won't play Thursday. Reid said he had no update or timeline for Mike Patterson's return. The defensive tackle suffered a seizure last week and is still being evaluated.

Tackle Winston Justice (knee) and defensive end Brandon Graham (knee) are still on the physically-unable-to-perform list and won't play. Reid said that wide receiver Sinorice Moss (groin) will be a game-time decision.