"I know it is a business and everybody, at the end of the day, wants to be out there and be that guy," Graham said. "I know I got to step it up, and that's what I'm going to do. I'm going to go out there and be in my [play]book every night."
Parker, who has nine years in the NFL, knows many eyes will be on him because of the Eagles big investment in Graham. The team traded three picks in order to move up and select Graham 13th overall.
Parker said he would stay focused on his own game.
"I really don't care who they bring in here, and I'm pretty sure that the people they bring here don't care about me," Parker said of the competition. "If my game falls off, then OK, but I don't see that happening [any] time soon. I know they drafted somebody. I know he's going to have to get some type of playing time. . . . I don't have no problem with it as long as I get playing time."
Tapp also sounded prepared to fight for a spot.
"If you're not gunning for a starting job, why play? Nobody wants to come out here to be a second person," Tapp said. Even if a player falls short, he will still end up in good shape for the season with that mentality, he said.
No matter who starts, it appears likely that there will be opportunities for any defensive end on the roster.
"You know my feeling on the defensive line. If I can come out of there with eight guys that can play, two at each spot, I'm great with that," Reid said. "If there's more, the more the merrier. You can't have enough good defensive linemen. So I like to rotate those guys and throw those fastballs at the offense."
Graham sat out three days of practice that were for rookies and just a few veterans due to his contract talks but said he was eager to join the team.
