Eagles Notes: Eagles kicker Henery shaky at best

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - Kicker Alex Henery, one of the few Eagles who is expected to have a major regular-season role and played Thursday night, got off to a bad start.

He missed his first field goal attempt, a 43-yarder. It was only his fourth field-goal attempt of the preseason, and it was his first miss, but it added to the question marks surrounding the man brought in to replace David Akers. Later Thursday, though, Henery rebounded by making a 49-yarder.

"It was good to get him the long one at the end," said Andy Reid, who expressed confidence in the kicker.

Henery, a star kicker at Nebraska, was inconsistent at training camp, and the Eagles will enter the season having seen little of him in NFL game situations. He had hit field goals of 35, 24, and 37 yards before Thursday night.

The Eagles started a raft of second- and third-stringers. Of the regular first-teamers, only rookie guard Danny Watkins started.

Watkins, who had a rough start to the preseason, had asked for the chance to play Thursday.

Meanwhile, coach Andy Reid, as he usually does, held out the rest of his starters to avoid injury before the regular season begins. That meant rookies Casey Matthews and Jason Kelce had the night off, as did left guard Evan Mathis, who was added to the first team this week.

Todd Herremans, moved to right tackle after the Eagles' third preseason game, spent the night on the bench, so his first game action protecting Michael Vick's blind side will come Sept. 11, when the games count.

Nate Allen started, a likely indication that he has been demoted to second-team safety, behind Jarrad Page. After the game, Reid said Page is leading the competition for a starting safety job.

Other depth chart notes:

Anthony Hargrove started at defensive end, not defensive tackle, where he played much of the preseason. Trevor Laws got a start at defensive tackle. If Hargrove stays at end, it could improve Laws' chances of making the team while meaning more bad news for defensive ends on the bubble such as Juqua Parker, Daniel Te'o-Nesheim, and Philip Hunt.

Trevard Lindley and Brandon Hughes started at cornerback, ahead of Curtis Marsh.

Mike McGlynn got the start at center. Jamaal Jackson, despite apparently being demoted, still rested.

Akeem Jordan was the starting middle linebacker, with Brian Rolle on the weak side and Keenan Clayton on the strong side.

Vince Young started at quarterback, with Dion Lewis in the backfield and Eldra Buckley at fullback.

Reggie Wells was the starting right tackle.

Hours before Thursday's game, the Eagles cut cornerback Jorrick Calvin and re-signed cornerback Jamar Wall. Wall, who was released earlier in the week, spent 12 weeks last year on the Eagles' practice squad and played in one game. . . . Jaiquawn Jarrett suffered a right quad contusion early in the second quarter and did not return to the game. But Reid said the safety should be OK.