Danny Watkins

The Eagles are making another change on the offensive line, this one just four days before the team's season opener Sunday in St. Louis. Guard Kyle DeVan, whose first practice with the Eagles was Monday, practiced with the starters Wednesday, ahead of rookie Danny Watkins, who has struggled at right guard. Neither coach Andy Reid, DeVan, nor Watkins would confirm the move, or say if it is permanent, but a team source said the change has been made. Wednesday practice lineups generally reflect Sunday's starters.

Eagles quarterback Michael Vick denied a report by Yahoo Sports that said he told coach Andy Reid that some of the team's assistant coaches were pushing to have him benched. Vick did have a meeting with Reid, but said after Saturday's practice that he never complained about the assistants. "That is absolutely false," Vick said. "Coach and I never had that conversation. Everything we talked about in that room is personal, man to man. " Then for emphasis, Vick added: "That never came up. " Vick then praised the Eagles' coaching staff.

Bryce Brown spent last Thanksgiving in Knoxville, Tenn. He was not playing football and had the reputation as a former top recruit whose college career unraveled. One year later, Brown is preparing to start for the Eagles in Monday's game against the Carolina Panthers. Even for Brown, who was confident he could become an NFL player, this was not something he could predict at the Thanksgiving dinner table in Knoxville. "Not a starter" this season, Brown said. "I definitely knew I had the talent and ability to play.

Last March, after extending Todd Herremans' contract and re-signing Evan Mathis, the Eagles said they felt as confident about their offensive line as any other position group. With the new contracts, they had all five of their starters locked up at least through 2014. Considering the progression the line had made by the end of the 2011 season, that was seen as a positive. But, less than two weeks after the ink was dry on Mathis' five-year deal, all-pro left tackle Jason Peters ruptured the Achilles tendon in his right foot and was done for the season.

LANDOVER, Md. - The Eagles are seven points from being the only winless team in the NFL. Zero-and-10. There is a very good argument that, on this day, they are the worst team in the NFL. It got stronger Sunday. Now 3-7, having lost six in a row, the Eagles have one neighbor in the NFC: the Panthers and Rams. After they visit next Monday night, Cam and family might be movin' on up. The Panthers, like the similarly hapless Jaguars, Browns and Chiefs, appear to be progressing.

DANNY, WE hardly knew ye. Before he has played a down, the Eagles have benched Danny Watkins, their first-round draft choice. They picked him this spring and penciled him in at right guard from the very beginning - and then, yesterday, Watkins was erased by coach Andy Reid. In his place, Kyle DeVan will be the starter for the season opener against St. Louis. DeVan was claimed on waivers the other day after the Indianapolis Colts cut him. All of which raises the questions: What would the Eagles have done had the Colts not decided to let DeVan go?

Who: Eagles vs. New York Jets. What: Fourth exhibition game When: Tonight, 7:30 Where: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, N.J. TV: 6ABC Radio: WYSP (94.1-FM), WIP (610-AM), ESPN (97.3-FM) Five things to watch in tonight's game: 1. Vince Young/Mike Kafka: Not really a roster battle; both will make the team. A battle to see who is No. 2. Unless Young, tonight's starter, really looks lost, it's almost certainly his job. His NFL experience, stronger arm and superior athleticism trump Kafka's hard work during the lockout.

EAGLES first-round rookie guard Danny Watkins hoped his homecoming to the Pacific Northwest tomorrow would be more celebratory than simply pleasant. He hoped the Birds would be among the NFL's best when they visited Seattle. Instead, the "Dream Team" Eagles are 4-7 and virtually out of the playoff hunt. That will not faze the contingent of Canadians who will cross the border from Kelowna, British Columbia, a city of about 100,000 that lies 300 miles northeast of Seattle. Watkins was a part-time firefighter there for 5 years before he found football at the late age of 21. "I know I've got 65 guys from the fire hall coming," said Watkins.

Up-Down Drill   Eagles No-Huddle The Eagles have had their greatest success this season whenever they've gone without a huddle. The offense did almost nothing for the entire first half until Michael Vick effectively engineered an 11-play, 70-yard drive late in the second quarter that produced the lone touchdown of the first 30 minutes.   Fletcher Cox The rookie defensive tackle set the tone for the defense on the Giants' first drive, penetrating into the backfield and forcing Eli Manning into two incomplete passes.

Eagles strong safety Nate Allen did not practice Friday after suffering a left hamstring injury during Thursday's workout. Allen strained his right hamstring in the fourth quarter of a 26-23 overtime loss to the Detroit Lions on Oct. 14. After the bye week, he returned and played in Sunday's loss to the Atlanta Falcons, recording nine tackles. He said his right hamstring is fine. "It is frustrating," he said of the latest setback, but "Monday is not out of the picture. " If Allen is not able to play against the New Orleans Saints, David Sims would start.