Terrence Brooks eyeing a place in Eagles secondary

The Eagles locker room cleared out quickly after the team's final practice of minicamp last month, with players scattering to enjoy five weeks of vacation. But there's no time to relax for Terrence Brooks, a safety hoping to secure his place in his first full season with the Eagles.

"I'm not done yet," Brooks said. "I still have a lot of work to do."

Brooks was released by the Ravens early last September and the Eagles picked him up. He spent last season mainly on special teams. But Brooks excelled in the secondary when he got the chance.

His breakout moment came in a game against the Giants in December. With 13 seconds left, the Eagles held a 24-19 lead over New York, but Eli Manning's offense was lined up at the Giants' 35-yard line. Manning catapulted a pass toward tight end Will Tye streaking for the end zone. But Brooks cut under the route and snatched the ball in midair, sealing the victory for the Eagles.

"I feel like I can go in there and be counted on to make a big play when they need it," Brooks said. "I'm just trying to gain the trust between the coaches and the players. At the end of the day, I've got a lot to prove to myself as a player about what type of player I want to be and what I want to accomplish here."

Brooks is focusing on standing out however he can. He set a tone early in the June practices, bringing energy to every play and shouting support and critiques to his fellow safeties. In his time off the field, he watched film at his home with several of the rookies, intent on learning the playbook from front to back.

Becoming an integral part of a team is a process, Brooks said, and he wants to make the most of this offseason.

"I'm new to the team, and they haven't really seen me on the defense," Brooks said. "I wanted to go out there and leave a great impression about what I can do and control everything I can control."