Former Cowboys defensive coordinator Brian Stewart has reportedly landed a job with the rival Eagles. Stewart is expected to sign a contract early next week, and his exact job title is yet to be revealed. Stewart could be an asset for the Eagles as defensive coordinator Jim Johnson deals with a recurrence of cancer.

The Eagles threw quarterback Kevin Kolb into the fire last fall and he struggled, but they like how he looks this spring. "[Kolb] is still progressing," offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg said earlier this month. "He's done a good job in this camp so far. He's very comfortable with all of his progression and his reads, his drops, his footwork, all the things he needs to see. His game management is typically very good. The preseason games will be very important for him as well." Kolb, a second-round pick in 2007, admitted that he needs to adjust to the speed of the NFL game. "I have to get the speed of the game down," Kolb said. "I feel that was what held me back in the Baltimore game." He took over for Donovan McNabb in the second half of that game against the Ravens, and went 10-for-23 with 73 yards and two interceptions. "You just try to focus on more detailed stuff," Kolb said. "Protection checks, where the backs will be, route depth. You focus on something different every minicamp. These are huge for me because it's an opportunity to get on the field and improve by trial and error."

Since everyone else is doing it... 1. Pittsburgh Steelers: Regardless of what has happened, the defending Super Bowl champs are #1 until proven otherwise. The only significant loss was CB Bryant McFadden, and their best players on offense (Big Ben, Parker, Holmes) are all entering their athletic prime years. They might not repeat, but this is about how last season finished as much as it is what teams have done this offseason. And it?s not like the Steelers haven?t had a good offseason. 2. San Diego Chargers: They get back one of the most dominating pass rushers in Shawne Merriman to an already fearsome, opportunistic defense. Philip Rivers is entering his prime and is emerging as a legit top-shelf leader. They lost little from a team that peaked late and is very hungry to keep LT?s championship window open. Their draft class is NFL-ready, and they can rack up wins playing in the weakest division in football. 3. New York Giants: The Giants ended 2008 one big-play WR away from being the best team in the NFC. They lost very little and revamped the defense with some nice additions that will improve their depth and coverage ability. Once again, GM Jerry Reese drafted players that fit what the Giants want and need, not necessarily the best talent. 4. Arizona Cardinals: Following up a dramatic Super Bowl run is never easy for the team that loses the big game, but the Cards are well-positioned to have another strong season. Though they have some disgruntled pieces, Arizona had a nice draft and kept all the key players together. For now. Downwardly mobile. 5. Philadelphia Eagles: I love the revamping of the OL, and their first two draft picks should be exceptional additions that just might be enough to finally get McNabb & Co. over the hump. The youngsters on the defensive front have to step it up and make it happen. 6. New England Patriots: Getting back Tom Brady instantly makes them Super Bowl contenders, though many of the core players are getting longer in the teeth. If the youth from the last couple of drafts emerges as worthy, a return to the playoffs is carved in marble. A payback year for Belichick?s boys could very well end in another Super Bowl title. 7. Carolina Panthers: The playoff clunker taints the wider picture of a team built very much to win now. The OL is strong, the running game great, the secondary better than advertised, and they kept Peppers on D. If Everette Brown proves worthy of the 1st rounder they dealt for him, the defense will be scary. I wouldn?t write off Jake Delhomme just yet. 8. Baltimore Ravens: The two biggest questions are how well the aging defense can adjust to life after Coach Ryan and Bart Scott left for the Jets, and if Joe Flacco can avoid the sophomore letdown that has struck many recent rookie success stories. On paper they?re not quite as good as how they finished last year, but the potential is still great. 9. Dallas Cowboys: Dallas has quietly (for them) had a very nice offseason, sacrificing sizzle (TO, Roy Williams, Zach Thomas) for steak (Olshansky, Kitna) and dramatically addressing their dreadful special teams units. They?re not as stocked as in recent years, but this less sexy version just might work better than the lipstick-soaked pigs that have been huge disappointments in the past three years. 10. Minnesota Vikings: All the Favre flirtation is an unnecessary headache for a team with enough talent and style of play to challenge for an NFC title. With their running game and defensive front 7, the Vikings have the pieces in place to play well into January. But the QB bugaboo threatens to derail them, and their Dave Kingman-esque 1st day draft needs to connect right away or else this team could slide. 11. Atlanta Falcons: I was ready to forecast a severe regression for the surprise Falcons, but their offseason has been based on building the core, not bells and whistles. No playoff team except the Eagles added more immediate on-field help in the draft and trades than the Falcons, and Tony Gonzalez is a huge upgrade with a lot left in the tank. 12. Indianapolis Colts: I?m more concerned than most about the coaching changes. They won?t miss Marvin Harrison as much as you think, but the overall depth is lower than ever and their division is better than ever. Still very upwardly mobile from this spot though. 13. Houston Texans: A whole lot rides on Matt Schaub and an incompletely-revamped secondary, but this is the best-ever Texans team on paper. They could be ready to make the jump to the next level this year. Depth could be an issue. 14. Miami Dolphins: Some regression is inevitable, but a lot of subtle improvements will help ease the fall. So will the development of Philip Merling and Kendall Langford at the DE spots. No team relies more heavily on not turning the ball over, and that?s a tough task to repeat. 15. Green Bay Packers: Changing defensive schemes is always an iffy proposition, though the Packers have the personnel to make it work. I?m still not a fan of the OL, especially the run blocking. They are better than they showed last year and their passing game is a real matchup problem for their division foes. 16. Tennessee Titans: For years I?ve been down on the Titans and they?ve continually proven me wrong. It?s a case now of ?something?s gotta give? and I?ve gambled enough to know that whenever I change my thought process, I lose. I?m holding firm on this one, perhaps foolishly. It won?t be the defense that lets them down. 17. Seattle Seahawks: They added a legit #1 WR in TJ Houshmandzadeh, the best player in the draft in Aaron Curry, and another run of injuries like they suffered last season is almost impossible. A healthy Matt Hasselbeck can get this team deep in the playoffs, but if he?s not right, 2008 was no aberration. 18. Cincinnati Bengals: Getting Carson Palmer back is a huge bonus, though the stats don?t bear out the widely-held conception he?s an elite QB. The defense quietly finished strong and added some potentially nice pieces to augment it. Andre Smith needs to be dominant from Day One. 19. Chicago Bears: Jay Cutler was probably worth the price, but it won?t show this season. An aging, paper-thin defense that isn?t anywhere close to being as good as hyped more than offsets what a legit franchise QB can do behind a moderately upgraded OL and with one proven legit NFL WR. Not having anyone to spell Matt Forte is a huge gamble with a great young talent. 20. New York Jets: I happen to like Mark Sanchez, and the OL is solid. But it?s a real big question who is going to run and catch the ball. If Vernon Gholston takes to the new coaching regime, the defense might be good enough to keep the pressure off Sanchez from having to do too much as a highly green rookie QB with limited weaponry. But that defense lost a lot of its molars. Even if they wind up this poor, they won?t be down long. 21. New Orleans Saints: The potential is there to make this look dumb, but that requires a lot of players to really step up. If Will Smith, Reggie Bush, and Jeremy Shockey are among those that do, this team could make the Super Bowl. If not, they should at least be entertaining to watch. 22. Jacksonville Jaguars: A smartly nice draft class and the signing of Torry Holt keep the Jags from falling further and provide fair potential for a bounceback season. But the division is tough and the pass rush is not. Upwardly mobile. 23. San Francisco 49ers: Still a lot of questions that cannot be answered until September--Can Singletary coach? Is Shaun Hill the answer at QB? Can Frank Gore stay in one piece? Will any WR or OLB step up? How will they handle the inevitable adversity? The glass is half full, but there?s a big straw hovering over it. 24. Cleveland Browns: Somewhere in between the dichotomy of the last two seasons lies the 2009 Browns. Any team with this strong an OL and legit talent in so many spots is bound to win a few games, but the QB questions and the sweeping coaching changes keep the forecast mostly cloudy. 25. Oakland Raiders I freely admit to being torn about the Raiders. I like a lot of their offseason moves, and the LB corps is quietly one of the NFL?s best. An awful lot lies on the improvement of JaMarcus Russell and a very unproven, inconsistent WR group. Adding Jeff Garcia will not help either regard, even if it does net them an extra win or two this year. 26. Washington Redskins: I have a strong inkling that their lousy finish was a precursor, not simply a late-season fade in a strong division. Haynesworth and Orakpo will help the defense, but it?s on the 08 draft class to rescue an offense with a badly aging OL. Real bad time for them to be in the NFC East. 27. Buffalo Bills: I?m a fan of the TO deal, but everything else they?ve done screams trouble. Overhauling a veteran OL--there might be five new starters across the board--and also transforming (apparently) into a pass-happy offense on the windy shores of Lake Erie with a real iffy QB sure sounds like a recipe for disaster. Downwardly mobile. 28. St. Louis Rams: Very quietly they?ve added a good bit of much-needed talent this offseason. A return to health by Steven Jackson and Marc Bulger just might coincide with the blossoming of a young defensive front stocked with high draft picks. Or not. 29. Denver Broncos: A little over a year ago this team had a franchise QB, a Hall of Fame head coach, and incredible long-term promise. Now all of that is gone thanks to a late-season collapse that led to a major overhaul that sets this team way back. And I have a feeling it will get worse before it gets better. 30. Kansas City Chiefs: The Scott Pioli revolution in underway. Still starved for talent in spots, the Chiefs have subtly improved across the board and should be more competitive. I?m not sold on Matt Cassel as the answer at QB, and switching to a 3-4 with their LB corps is real troubling. 31. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Pretty much every Bucs player you know except Ronde Barber is now an ex-Buc. The OL and DL are solid, but the rest of the team bears strong resemblance to last year?s Lions--lots of complementary talents (with apologies to Mr. Ruud) forced one or two pegs too far up the depth chart. 32. Detroit Lions: They come off perhaps the best offseason in team history and are still clearly a 4-win team at best. It?s a good start, but they?re climbing Mount Everest starting from the depths of the Mariana Trench. Send your comments, hate mail, favorite Family Guy moments, and pictures of Robin Meade to Jeff.Risdon@RealGM.com

Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Johnson is taking a leave of absence to begin a second round of chemotherapy to deal with cancer. Johnson won't coach at the upcoming a three-day rookie camp beginning Wednesday. "I told him to take care of himself first, and when he's ready to come back, come back," Eagles coach Andy Reid said Monday. "I'd like to tell you he's great, but he's not. He's struggling right now," said Reid. "I told him, when you feel like it, come back."

Eagles cornerback Asante Samuel has used his Twitter page to predict a Super Bowl win for the team. Samuel wrote: "this is about to be a superbowl winning season fareal."

Eagles rookie receiver Jeremy Maclin said in an interview recently that the team didn't draft him to watch from sidelines. "He basically sat down and told me that they're not gonna waste a first-round draft pick for a guy to come in and sit on the bench so obviously he wants me to get out there and contribute right away," Maclin said of a conversation with coach Andy Reid. "He says get in that playbook and just make plays when the ball comes my way and everything else will take care of itself." DeSean Jackson led the team in receiving last season as a rookie, which bodes well for Maclin.

Dan Klecko, who has shifted around the field in recent years, will stick at defensive tackle for the Eagles this season. "That's the position I've played my entire career," Klecko said. "We went as far as we were going to go with the fullback position." Philadelphia signed fullback Leonard Weaver, paving the way for Klecko to play a majority of his snaps at DT.

The Eagles reportedly offered the Cardinals a third-round pick and Sheldon Brown for Anquan Boldin last month. According to the Arizona Republic, the offer was made just days after Brown publicly requested a trade due to unhappiness with his contract. The Eagles had no comment on the rumors Friday.

A source has told CSN that disgruntled cornerback Sheldon Brown and Eagles president Joe Banner have met and agreed to let "cooler heads prevail." Brown complained about his contract situation and demanded to be traded just days before last month's NFL Draft.

Eagles coach Andy Reid said on Tuesday in an interview with WIP-AM (610) that the team inquired about Cardinals receiver Anquan Boldin prior to last month's draft. He added that Philadelphia felt the price was too high, hinting that Arizona wanted a first-, third- and fifth-round pick. "That's a lot of picks, No. 1," Reid said. "And then you're going to pay the guy $10 million. So you get hit on both sides of it."