PHILADELPHIA -- Eagles left guard Todd Herremans, sidelined by a foot injury since minicamps in May, will return to the lineup when the team travels to Kansas City on Friday night for its third preseason game.
Herremans' return comes in the wake of an overall poor performance by the interior of the Eagles' offensive line in Friday night's 22-9 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.
"I think, collectively, we can all do better," Eagles coach Andy Reid said after Sunday's practice, which was forced inside because of rain. "That's what I think. So that game wasn't about the offensive line. It was about everybody doing a little bit better on the offensive side. That's me and the coaches included."
The Eagles' starting interior line of left guard Max Jean-Gilles, center Mike McGlynn and right guard Stacy Andrews allowed pressure up the middle on quarterback Kevin Kolb, forcing him out of the pocket and to hurry his throws.
Herremans' return should help. The six-year veteran has been a full-time starter since 2006 and last year graded out as the team's most consistent linemen.
"I'm not coming back to save anything, I wouldn't say that," Herremans said. "Just getting back out there, I think I can bring experience and some leadership to the guys."
Last year, Herremans had surgery to correct a stress fracture in his foot and was forced to sit out the first five games of the regular season. This year, when it started to bother him again, the team didn't take any chances and shut him down.
Last week, Herremans returned to the active roster from the physically unable to perform list, and Sunday, he ran with the first team during the team's brief practice. Friday's game against the Chiefs will be Herremans' first since last year's playoff loss to the Dallas Cowboys.
"It's important to get out there," Herremans said. "Not for the speed of the game, or any of that, but just to be out there working with the guys next to me, Jason, and whoever is at center."
While Herremans returns, the center spot is still unsettled because of injury. Starter Jamaal Jackson, returning from a torn anterior cruciate ligament, did practice, but Reid ruled him out of Friday's game. And backup Nick Cole missed practice with a swollen knee.
"He did some good things," Reid said of Jackson. "Again, it was a 10-10-10 (practice), but he was able to get out there and move around. We wanted to do some contact, as much as you can do with shells on. It's not like Todd. Todd, right now, is full go. Jamaal we're just kind of treating him as contacts, very slowly and ease him into it."
Cole appears to be at least a week or so away from returning.
"Nick's a tough guy, I know that," Reid said. "Nick will go out there and push himself through, really, anything. That's just the way he's wired.
"I know what Nick can do. He got enough work in there. He's in good shape and all that. He lost some weight and he's in very good shape. That's not what I'm worried about. I just want to make sure we're smart with that knee."
Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press
