Jamar Chaney

The Eagles sent running back Dion Lewis to the Cleveland Browns on Thursday for linebacker Emmanuel Acho. Though they had hoped to get a late draft pick for Lewis, the Eagles acquired a young linebacker for a player who probably would have been released. With LeSean McCoy, Bryce Brown, and a healthy Chris Polk at running back, coach Chip Kelly deemed Lewis expendable. Acho, a 2012 sixth-round draft pick out of Texas, spent last season on injured reserve with a knee injury. He suffered a meniscus (cartilage)

Jamar Chaney Linebacker St. Lucie West Centennial High School Port St. Lucie, Fla. Given that the year before it had gone 9-1 and had some of the better players from that squad back, it was understandable that the St. Lucie West Centennial High School football team had high expectations as the 2004 season approached. Jamar Chaney remembers, "We had a chance of winning the state championship that year. " But that was before the east coast of Florida was hit by two devastating hurricanes within weeks of one another.

Want to know how Jamar Chaney's offseason is going and whether the second-year Eagle has what it takes to supplant Stewart Bradley as next season's starting middle linebacker? Just patrol the near-vacant football fields in South Philadelphia and keep an eye out for the 6-foot, 242-pounder, running through his linebacker drills in solitude. It's more than Eagles coach Andy Reid can do. Several blocks away, at a nearly deserted NovaCare Complex, Reid is preparing for the NFL draft at the end of this month.

The Eagles have drafted 13 linebackers since Andy Reid was hired as their head coach in 1999. Six of those selections were in the sixth or seventh round. The Eagles have not drafted a linebacker in the first round under Reid and have taken just one in the second round since 2001: Round 1 (0) Round 2: (3) Barry Gardner (1999), Quinton Caver (2001), Matt McCoy (2005) Round 3: (2) Chris Gocong (2006), Stewart Bradley (2007) Round 4 (1): Keenan Clayton (2010), Round 5 (1)

STRONGSIDE linebacker Jamar Chaney confirmed that he has buried the hatchet with Steelers offensive lineman Ramon Foster, who dived into the back of Chaney's legs well after the whistle during last Thursday's game. Foster was not penalized. "I don't think he did it intentionally," Chaney said today. "It looked like it on film. It is what it is. It won't help me to be mad about it . . . We don't play the Steelers any more unless we make it to the Super Bowl and they make it, too. " Chaney said he and Foster spoke via direct message on Twitter.

The news of Mike Kafka's signing a futures contract with the New England Patriots on Thursday makes this a good time to revisit the Eagles' 2010 draft class - and specifically the fourth round. That's when Kafka went. He was one of four fourth-round picks for the Eagles. A fourth-round pick in the NFL has value - but not significant value. There's rougly a 10 percent chance of finding a starter in that round. Of course, based on those odds, the Eagles had a realistic statistical chance of finding a starter in that round.

Kurt Coleman knows the drill for the first off-season of his NFL career. "I have to get bigger, faster, stronger, and learn to understand the game a little more," Coleman said. The Eagles' rookie safety might have been speaking for all of the team's young players. They gained some experience this season, but their development could be the key to the team's future. "We were able to play young players who were able to get experience," Eagles coach Andy Reid said. "Some of those young guys are going to be leaders on this team.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - The Eagles have room to add another defensive tackle, with free agents Derek Landri and Trevor Laws still unsigned. Mike Patterson, Cullen Jenkins, Antonio Dixon, and Cedric Thornton are under contract, but the Eagles carried five defensive tackles last season. Thornton, an undrafted rookie, could be expendable. The Eagles could be targeting one of a number of attractive defensive tackles in the first round of next month's draft. General manager Howie Roseman agreed that it is a position of strength in the draft.

TAMPA - Two significant defensive lineup changes for the Eagles Sunday, neither of them having anything to do with the wide-nine, but both seemingly for the better: Rookie linebacker Mychal Kendricks, the strongside starter all year, went to the weakside. Jamar Chaney, who hadn't started since the Pittsburgh game Oct. 7, took over the strongside spot. Then, with Kurt Coleman left home because of a sternum bruise, special-teams ace Colt Anderson got his first safety start since 2010.

ON MOST MONDAYS during the Eagles season, we turn High & Inside over to the fans to let them praise or blast - lately it has been more of the latter - their beloved Birds. There was no game yesterday. Instead of winning or losing, the players got to enjoy a rare weekend off. Thanks to Twitter and other sources, we are able to share what some of them did: *  Michael Vick went shopping: "Toy Store with the kids," he tweeted. "Glad daddy make good money. Early xmas. " * Brian Rolle already has his mind on Sunday's game in Miami.

The Eagles sent running back Dion Lewis to the Cleveland Browns on Thursday for linebacker Emmanuel Acho. Though they had hoped to get a late draft pick for Lewis, the Eagles acquired a young linebacker for a player who probably would have been released. With LeSean McCoy, Bryce Brown, and a healthy Chris Polk at running back, coach Chip Kelly deemed Lewis expendable. Acho, a 2012 sixth-round draft pick out of Texas, spent last season on injured reserve with a knee injury. He suffered a meniscus (cartilage)

The news of Mike Kafka's signing a futures contract with the New England Patriots on Thursday makes this a good time to revisit the Eagles' 2010 draft class - and specifically the fourth round. That's when Kafka went. He was one of four fourth-round picks for the Eagles. A fourth-round pick in the NFL has value - but not significant value. There's rougly a 10 percent chance of finding a starter in that round. Of course, based on those odds, the Eagles had a realistic statistical chance of finding a starter in that round.

Recent history: The Redskins defeated the Eagles, 31-6, on Nov. 18 in Landover, Md. The Redskins lead the series, 80-70-5. QUARTERBACK Eagles: In his first start against the Redskins 5 weeks ago, Nick Foles struggled against the blitz, completing just 8 of 18 passes and throwing two interceptions when they sent five or more rushers. Since then, he has done a good job of moving and sliding in the pocket and has thrown just one pick. Redskins: Robert Griffin III is nursing a knee injury that kept him out of last week's game.

TAMPA - Two significant defensive lineup changes for the Eagles Sunday, neither of them having anything to do with the wide-nine, but both seemingly for the better: Rookie linebacker Mychal Kendricks, the strongside starter all year, went to the weakside. Jamar Chaney, who hadn't started since the Pittsburgh game Oct. 7, took over the strongside spot. Then, with Kurt Coleman left home because of a sternum bruise, special-teams ace Colt Anderson got his first safety start since 2010.

TAMPA, Fla. - Brent Celek sustained a concussion on the first play from scrimmage in Sunday's 23-21 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Celek was helped off the field after a 1-yard catch and taken to the locker room for examination. He is the third key starter on the Eagles offense to suffer a concussion this season. Michael Vick and LeSean McCoy continue to sit with lingering concussions. There was no word after the game on the severity of Celek's concussion. "For him to go out, I'll tell you it was a pretty good [hit]

Here is Paul Domowitch's report card from the Eagles' win against the Buccaneers. Click here to enter your grades. We will publish the results in Tuesday's Daily News. RUSHING OFFENSE: Bryce Brown, who had rushed for 347 yards and four touchdowns against Carolina and Dallas, found the going a lot tougher against the Bucs, who came into the game ranked first in the league against the run. Brown gained just 6 yards on 12 carries. Just four of his carries gained more than 1 yard.

TAMPA - Nick Foles' 22-yard completion to Jason Avant put the ball at the Buccaneers' 1-yard line with 10 seconds left. The Eagles scrambled to the line of scrimmage, assembled, then spiked the ball to stop the clock with 2 seconds. Tampa called a timeout and regrouped, but Foles found Jeremy Maclin, in the end zone, sliding on his knees toward the right sideline, the winning touchdown cradled in his belly. But wait. Was Maclin's left toe in bounds? Could the Eagles finally get a break?

Nine out of 10 times when Andy Reid and Marty Mornhinweg are criticized for their unbalanced play-calling, it is justified. But after Sunday's 38-23 loss to the Dallas Cowboys it was not. LeSean McCoy had only 16 carries, so the gut reaction may have been to scream that the running back was underutilized and that's why the Eagles lost. Reid's explanation on Monday was that he spotted McCoy because he was still sick and didn't practice much last week. But setting that aside, the decision to give the tailback limited touches was not egregious.

Jamar Chaney Linebacker St. Lucie West Centennial High School Port St. Lucie, Fla. Given that the year before it had gone 9-1 and had some of the better players from that squad back, it was understandable that the St. Lucie West Centennial High School football team had high expectations as the 2004 season approached. Jamar Chaney remembers, "We had a chance of winning the state championship that year. " But that was before the east coast of Florida was hit by two devastating hurricanes within weeks of one another.