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Brown takes failed trade to Lions in stride, rejoins Eagles

PHILADELPHIA -- Ronnie Brown was back with the Eagles after a whirlwind bye week.

While his teammates enjoyed time off, Brown was busy shuttling around. He was traded from Philadelphia to Detroit last Tuesday in a deal that sent fellow running back Jerome Harrison to the Eagles. But the deal was rescinded when Harrison failed his physical, so Brown returned.

Harrison was diagnosed with a brain tumor, and a Lions teammate confirmed the running back already had surgery.

"I'm just glad that he found out his situation before it could turn into anything a couple of weeks down the road," Brown said Monday. "That's always good that he found that out and got that taken care of. So I'm excited about that."

A former No. 2 overall draft pick by the Miami Dolphins, Brown has been a disappointment in Philadelphia. He has just 13 carries for 38 yards, and he committed a costly fumble near the goal line during a 24-23 loss to the San Francisco 49ers earlier in the month.

Since that turnover, Brown has dropped below rookie Dion Lewis and starter LeSean McCoy on the Eagles' depth chart. McCoy is fourth in the NFC with 569 rushing yards and second with eight touchdowns.

"It's tough," Brown said. "I was looking forward to more opportunities when I got here, but given the situation, knowing that this is a passing offense and the way things are run ... I guess there's not enough opportunities to go around for everybody."

Brown went home to Atlanta after coach Andy Reid gave the Eagles a week off. He hurried off to Detroit after the trade, practiced with the Lions on Wednesday and was in the middle of game planning when the deal was voided.

"There were going to be more opportunities out there in Detroit for me, more carries than I would have gotten here," Brown said. "But it happens, it's over with and you move on."

Notes: Eagles DE Brandon Graham practiced for the first time since injuring his knee against the Dallas Cowboys on Dec. 12. Graham, a first-round pick last year, had surgery for a torn anterior cruciate ligament and microfracture surgery. "I feel a lot better than I expected," Graham said. ... DE Trent Cole (calf) and LT Jason Peters (hamstring) also returned to practice after missing two games each.

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

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