Brandon Graham

IN HIS HUGE OFFICE, early in these spring mornings, ol' Chippah must be chuckling. He has the whole region chasing its tail, like some strung-out Pac-12 defense without the sense to just play soft until the red zone. Who will be the quarterback? Will the rookie right tackle start over that huge Hanson brother lookalike? Can Trent Cole play without his hand in the ground after eight seasons? Can Brandon Graham get a break? Who's going to return punts? Jason Avant's going to be a safety?

Brandon Graham did not confirm the widespread belief that he will play outside linebacker for the Eagles this season. But it sounds as if he's preparing for a switch from defensive end to a stand-up pass rusher. Speaking on the second day of the Eagles' offseason program, Graham said he did not know what position he will play. Asked if he's inquired, he said that the team just started the program Monday and that he would have a better idea as minicamp approaches. "There's been a lot of talk about a lot of things," Graham said Tuesday.

WHICH VERSION of Madonna is best, the Material Girl or the Kabbalah Mama? How about Cher: Sonny Bono's half-breed gypsy on horseback or Richie Sambora's scantily clad siren on the warship? Changing times and eroding taste long have forced talents from Jewel to Janet Jackson to recreate themselves. In less than a decade, the fickle fates of football have forced Brandon Graham to remake himself as often as any '80s pop diva. Those relaunches don't always work. Graham's career might not survive this overhaul.

Brandon Graham's locker is next to Fletcher Cox's locker. Cox said the two never discuss the link that defines the way both are viewed in Philadelphia, as former first-round picks so coveted that the Eagles traded up in the draft to get them. But it's an inescapable label. And it's one both have lived up to in recent games. A defensive end, Graham was the No. 13 overall selection in 2010. Cox, a defensive tackle, went 12th in 2012. They are the two highest picks the Eagles have made since 2000.

ON MONDAY, when reporters first watched the Eagles practice under Chip Kelly, among the stranger sights was a rep that featured Trent Cole crouching, his hands held at hip level, as he lined up across from slot receiver Jason Avant. So far, much of what has been written and said about the Eagles under Kelly concerns the offense. That's understandable, given that Kelly's offensive theories are why he got the job. The offense is why practice is run at such a hectic pace. But new defensive coordinator Billy Davis' unit is making an equally huge adjustment; maybe a bigger one, given that there figure to be more new defensive starters in 2013 than new offensive starters.

The Eagles activated defensive end Brandon Graham off the physically-unable-to-perform (PUP) list on Saturday and released guard Kyle DeVan to make room on their 53-man roster. The team had until Monday at 4:30 p.m. to make a decision on whether to active Graham before Monday night's game against the Chicago Bears. It appeared as if they would use all of their allotted time because of defensive end Juqua Parker's uncertain game-day status. Parker missed his second straight practice Saturday because of a high-ankle sprain and was listed as "doubtful" on the official injury report.

IT'S BEEN almost a month since Brandon Graham called himself "a bust. " Back in May, amid a week of high-octane work in which he showed his old speed and a new, svelter frame, Graham said he was well aware of the tweets and social media taunts that have accompanied his long return from microfracture surgery to repair a torn right anterior cruciate ligament, and the stunning emergence of Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul, who was taken a few...

When he arrived here in 2010, Brandon Graham was all smiles, a cheery defensive end who promised to put quarterbacks in the dirt. Drafted 13th overall, Graham embraced the spotlight, the media and all the trappings that come with being a first-round pick. Two years later, Graham is most familiar with the flip side of being a top selection: pressure, scrutiny, high expectations and harsh criticism for falling short. Those realities all tail him as he enters a critical third season in the NFL, still trying to make his mark with the Eagles.

BETHLEHEM — For Eagles fans, their names are inextricably tied. Like Martin and Lewis, Sonny and Cher, Mantle and Maris. Brandon Graham and Jason Pierre-Paul. "It used to bother me," said Graham, who the Eagles took over Pierre-Paul with the 13th pick in the 2010 draft. "But now, shoot, more power to him. He's doing a great job. Now it's time for me to get out there and hold up my end of the bargain and show why the Eagles brought me here. " Pierre-Paul, taken two picks after Graham by the Giants, had 16 1/2 sacks last season, was named first-team All-Pro and helped the Giants win their second Super Bowl title in 4 years.

It happens with every coaching change. Long-standing players from the previous regime don't match up well with the new system and are phased out. Former defensive ends Trent Cole and Brandon Graham are doing and saying everything to fit in and stick around - and they are likely here for the season - but it's difficult to see either as a long-term solution once the Eagles move to a new defensive scheme. Chip Kelly and Bill Davis aren't exactly there yet. The new Eagles coach and his defensive coordinator still are evaluating and constructing a system that will emphasize the skill set of their players, especially on the front seven.

Part Seven of an online-only series Here is a look at the Eagles pass rushers. Projected first team: Connor Barwin (6-foot-4, 260 pounds), age 26, 5th season Trent Cole (6-3, 270), 30, 9th I'm a bit surprised the Eagles don't have more outside pass rushers on the roster or that they didn't go out and get more outside linebackers with experience playing in a 3-4. Coach Chip Kelly and Howie Roseman were limited to some degree because they can't move former defensive ends Cole and Brandon Graham.

IN HIS HUGE OFFICE, early in these spring mornings, ol' Chippah must be chuckling. He has the whole region chasing its tail, like some strung-out Pac-12 defense without the sense to just play soft until the red zone. Who will be the quarterback? Will the rookie right tackle start over that huge Hanson brother lookalike? Can Trent Cole play without his hand in the ground after eight seasons? Can Brandon Graham get a break? Who's going to return punts? Jason Avant's going to be a safety?

ON MONDAY, when reporters first watched the Eagles practice under Chip Kelly, among the stranger sights was a rep that featured Trent Cole crouching, his hands held at hip level, as he lined up across from slot receiver Jason Avant. So far, much of what has been written and said about the Eagles under Kelly concerns the offense. That's understandable, given that Kelly's offensive theories are why he got the job. The offense is why practice is run at such a hectic pace. But new defensive coordinator Billy Davis' unit is making an equally huge adjustment; maybe a bigger one, given that there figure to be more new defensive starters in 2013 than new offensive starters.

It happens with every coaching change. Long-standing players from the previous regime don't match up well with the new system and are phased out. Former defensive ends Trent Cole and Brandon Graham are doing and saying everything to fit in and stick around - and they are likely here for the season - but it's difficult to see either as a long-term solution once the Eagles move to a new defensive scheme. Chip Kelly and Bill Davis aren't exactly there yet. The new Eagles coach and his defensive coordinator still are evaluating and constructing a system that will emphasize the skill set of their players, especially on the front seven.

There are times to wheel and deal, to treat a top-five draft choice as an asset to be auctioned off. For the Eagles, this is not one of those times. There is little doubt, based on recent history, that general manager Howie Roseman could spin the fourth pick in Thursday's NFL draft into half the fifth round, were he so inclined. And yes, by turning one high pick into a handful of lower picks, Roseman could improve his chances of hitting on a later-round gem. There is logic to that approach.

When Dee Milliner ran the 40-yard dash in 4.37 seconds in February, he appeared to cement his status as a top-10 pick in the NFL draft. Though widely considered the top cornerback prospect, Milliner entered the NFL combine with questions about his speed. "Just watch the combine," he boldly told reporters in Indianapolis a few days before he was to run. "I know my body. I know what I can do and how I can run," Milliner said recently during a phone interview. "So I just knew I could go out there and produce.

WHICH VERSION of Madonna is best, the Material Girl or the Kabbalah Mama? How about Cher: Sonny Bono's half-breed gypsy on horseback or Richie Sambora's scantily clad siren on the warship? Changing times and eroding taste long have forced talents from Jewel to Janet Jackson to recreate themselves. In less than a decade, the fickle fates of football have forced Brandon Graham to remake himself as often as any '80s pop diva. Those relaunches don't always work. Graham's career might not survive this overhaul.

Brandon Graham did not confirm the widespread belief that he will play outside linebacker for the Eagles this season. But it sounds as if he's preparing for a switch from defensive end to a stand-up pass rusher. Speaking on the second day of the Eagles' offseason program, Graham said he did not know what position he will play. Asked if he's inquired, he said that the team just started the program Monday and that he would have a better idea as minicamp approaches. "There's been a lot of talk about a lot of things," Graham said Tuesday.

Free agent linebacker Victor Butler visited with the Eagles on Tuesday but left without a contract. There was still mutual interest in getting a deal done, an NFL source said. But Butler has met with a number of other teams, including the Cleveland Browns, New Orleans Saints and Pittsburgh Steelers, and could be mulling over multiple offers. Butler underwent a physical at the NovaCare Complex and met with Eagles coaches on Tuesday. The team is looking to add to its stable of pass-rushers.

Looking to improve a punting game that has been lacking, the Eagles signed two-time all-pro punter Donnie Jones to a one-year contract after his former team, the Texans, signed Shane Lechler to a deal on Friday. The addition of Jones led to the release of Mat McBriar. Signed by the Eagles during training camp last summer, cut before the season, and then brought back in September, McBriar never fully rebounded from offseason foot surgery and finished tied for last in the NFL in net punting average.