Eagles Notebook: Kelly eager to see how Smith fits into his schemes

CHIP KELLY said yesterday that his kick-return setup is a "fluctuating situation," as the team tries to determine how quickly new return man and wide receiver Brad Smith can fit into the Eagles' schemes.

"We're going to get a chance today to see Brad, how he fits in as a returner," Kelly said. "We also can use Bryce [Brown] back there, [in addition to Brandon Boykin]. It's a fluctuating situation."

Kelly also kept open the possibility of going back to Damaris Johnson, if Johnson is active.

Johnson said yesterday the decision to bring in Smith "doesn't bother me at all."

"They told me just go in every day like I'm a starter," Johnson said.

Smith was a quarterback at Missouri and played the position intermittently with the Jets and Bills, but Kelly said he won't assume the emergency QB role for the Eagles, who have designated tight end James Casey for that job.

"I don't think we can put all that on his plate," Kelly said. "He's got to come in here for four core special teams and what we're doing offensively, and to now tell him he's got to learn multiple positions on offense - we're starting him out at receiver, and then hopefully, as the season goes along, maybe that's the case. But if he had to play today, that wouldn't be the case."

Linebacker Jake Knott said he aggravated his hamstring injury last week in practice. He said he's been told he can play if his hammy is "perfect" this week, but otherwise he'll have to wait until after the bye. Knott didn't practice yesterday, so perfection seems a ways off . . . Offensive tackle Jason Peters (quadriceps, pectoral), safety Earl Wolff (knee) and linebacker Mychal Kendricks (knee) also did not practice. Again among the limited were cornerback Bradley Fletcher (pec) and tight end Brent Celek (hip).

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