How long will it take for Demps to get back on the field?


The inactive players have been announced, and it does not look good for some of the young talent on this Eagles roster.

Kevin Curtis and Todd Herremans are inactive because of injury, and the veteran Jason Babin is inactive for the third time, out of four games, this season. The big surprise comes in the form of a young crew of guys who were expected to start or see significant time in Joe Mays, Quintin Demps, and Trevor Laws. Brandon Gibson is also inactive, but he's a rookie, so it's not so bad.

Mays and Demps were looking at earning starting positions in training camp, but both players fell off during the preseason and were replaced. In Demps' case, he was replaced by a rookie. Mays can at least find some solace in being replaced by a veteran with an entire starting season at middle linebacker under his belt.

Laws may actually be the most disappointing of this bunch because he had a lot to prove after basically a wash for his rookie season, and was expected to give a break to both Brodrick Bunkley and Mike Patterson a break in the defensive tackle rotation.

When your second-round pick from a year ago is a healthy scratch, it doesn't bode well for his future with this team, and in this league. Add that onto the fact that the Eagles picked up Antonio Dixon, a rookie, off waivers the week before the season started, and have decided to play him over Laws, and you have a recipe for a short stay for Laws.

These guys will have to pick it up during the practice week to show the coaching staff that they belong on the field with the rest of these guys. One of them got the short end of the deal because it appears as though Reid will be keeping all three quarterbacks active, but it's still an eye-opening list.

We'll see how the idea of three quarterbacks and only four wide receivers pans out for the next few weeks, but it will likely stay that way until one of these young guys can step up and prove he deserves some playing time.