Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie: No problem with Jason Peters

EAGLES CHAIRMAN Jeffrey Lurie seemed very happy with the way his team is adjusting to the regime change this offseason, as Lurie wielded a paintbrush yesterday during the Eagles Youth Partnership's 17th playground build, at William D. Kelley School on North 28th Street and Cecil B. Moore Avenue.

Lurie said he was not concerned that All-Pro left tackle Jason Peters has not attended OTA work last week or so far this week.

"Jason's great. Jason's really in great shape. He's got his own personal reasons that he can't be here, and I actually empathize with him," Lurie said.

That would seem to indicate Peters isn't just blowing off the voluntary work because he can, or because he's angry about the contract adjustment he endured last year when Peters missed the season after two Achilles' surgeries. The Eagles placed him on the nonfootball injury list, causing Peters to forfeit about $3.25 million.

Another Eagles source confirmed that the coaching staff is not upset or concerned about Peters' absence.

New Eagles coach Chip Kelly didn't shed much light on Peters' situation when Kelly met with reporters Tuesday. Kelly said he knows where Peters is and what he is doing, and he expects him to return to the practice field soon. Kelly said the matter was not injury-related.

Lurie and Kelly were among 198 Eagles staffers - not including the players, who arrived to help finish up in the afternoon - working at the playground build, which covered a larger area than many previous efforts. Eagles Youth Partnership executive director Sarah Helfman-Martinez said that for the first time, the team was installing two turf play areas, instead of one.

Kelly is new to playground-building and mural painting, but Lurie has attended every one of these spring efforts. Has his painting improved?

"Very good question," Lurie said. "I would have to say no. I'm still sloppy. I try to be delicate . . . you'd think after all these years, I'd be perfect at it. Far from it."

Lurie said though the Eagles organization might go through changes - he and ex-wife Christina Lurie both worked on the playground yesterday, though not side-by-side - the team's values will not change.

"You create new challenges, new programs, new abilities to affect neighborhoods . . . You're always looking to do things better. We're looking to do things better on the football field," Lurie said. "Days like today will never change. That's what we're all about. Styles may change on the field, direction may change on the field, but off the field we happen to be 100 percent all-in and committed to the Philadelphia region. That's who we are, that's what it's been from Day 1. DNA can't change."

Lurie arrived on a bus with players and coaches. He said that's a scene he enjoys every year.

"The feeling of looking in the kids' eyes as you walk off the bus, their excitement that the Eagles are actually in their neighborhood, in their place, the importance they now feel about themselves, the confidence," Lurie said. "It gives them a good feeling about themselves. You can't measure that."

Kelly did not seem to be painting much faster than the average coach. Lurie predicted Kelly would have an unorthodox style, but Kelly said when it comes to murals, he is not an outside-the-lines thinker.

"A lot of fun," Kelly said. "It's a great thing to do. It's fun being out in the community," something Kelly said usually only happens when he is driving from his Center City residence to NovaCare. "It's a pretty cool deal . . . I believe it's an obligation that you should give back to the community when you've got some time . . . It's really fun for the kids, it's fun for us, too."

Lurie said he was glad there was music for Kelly to paint by.

Eagles president Don Smolenski confirmed that the team did not seek out wide media coverage of the build, as it has done in the past. Smolenski said the event was for the North Philly neighborhood and the school district, not for the Eagles to gain publicity.

Helfman-Martinez, who noted that the project reflects about 6 months of work, said the Kelley School build was especially needed, with a nearby school closing and about 150 additional students expected to funnel into Kelley this fall.

Today on PhillyDailyNews.com: On the offensive line, a new look with old faces?

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