"I'm running, doing everything," Peters said, pausing briefly as he walked from the locker room to a training room. Asked if he has realistic hopes of playing this season, Peters said, "yeah."
Asked about a timetable for his return, Peters said there isn't one. "I'm taking it day by day," he said.
The Eagles have never ruled out Peters playing this season, but previously have indicated that while they want to keep the chance alive, it is a longshot. Thursday, however, a source close to the situation said the team absolutely sees a realistic chance, though the source emphasized Peters still has a lot of recovering to do, and won't be playing in a game anytime soon.
Peters can be activated anytime between Week 6 and Week 9, and then would have 3 weeks of practice before the Eagles would either have to put him on the 53-man roster or IR. We are in Week 5. From what the source said, it would seem the Birds are looking at the very outer edge of that timeline, and maybe even at carrying Peters on the 53 for a few weeks before he's really ready to contribute.
There is a new rule that allows a team to recall one player from IR, but players who came into training camp injured, as Peters did, are not eligible.
Dunlap, meanwhile, said he was not surprised to hear the offensive coordinator had said he expects Bell will start. "I've got to get healthy, get back in shape," Dunlap said when asked if he expects to start again.
The Eagles signed Bell as Peters' replacement, but he lost his job to Dunlap in the preseason. Bell struggled with offensive-line coach Howard Mudd's unusual, aggressive blocking technique. Bell's first outing for Dunlap, at Arizona, didn't go well, but he was much better last week against the Giants, particularly in second-half run blocking.
"Demetress is coming very fast and he played very well," said Mornhinweg. "Big King, we've got to work him in, get him going again coming off of that hamstring."
Wasn't that special?
Special teams coordinator Bobby April said the kickoff coverage that yielded an average of 36.2 yards on six kickoffs against the Giants was "very poor. It looked poorly conceived, poorly coached and poorly executed. I'm responsible for all of those. I have to draw on all the resources that I have as a coach and put them into play, and then resurrect us from these ashes . . . I misjudged some things, and need to do a better job of preparing the guys to whup a guy when the bell rings."
April was asked about his Monday meeting with Eagles coach Andy Reid, the day before the team released linebacker Brian Rolle, who had been playing on special teams.
"Would [Reid] have a right to be ticked off? Absolutely," April said. "The tone or whatever was not anything but a conversation about what ways we can improve."
Asked about Rolle's release, April said: "You don't want too much security in this particular profession. At least from my vantage point, too much security hinders your ability to improve. No one should have a whole lot of security. Everybody is judged from week to week, and every decision is made to improve the football team. I think, as an organization, we felt that we had a guy who we released [Adrian Moten] that in hindsight would play better ball than a guy that we kept."
Birdseed
Right guard Danny Watkins (chest bruise) returned to practice Thursday . . . The only nonparticipant was linebacker Akeem Jordan (hamstring), though defensive tackle Derek Landri was listed as limited . . . Wide receiver Jeremy Maclin said his lack of activity against the Giants (three targets, one catch) was "just the flow of the game, man." So, Maclin's banged up hip is 100 percent now? "If I'm not able to go and contribute and help my team I wouldn't play," said Maclin, who did not say "yes."
Contact Les Bowen at bowenl@phillynews.com.
