Eagles Wake-Up Call: Graham Riding the New Wave

When Brandon Graham was rehabbing from microfracture knee surgery back in 2011, he admitted that he went heavy on the cheesesteaks. And well, he got heavy. All the way to around 290, in fact.

“Jim’s? That’s all I eat,” he said that October.

The former first-round pick is a lot more disciplined these days, and has employed a nutritionist to make sure he stays that way.  The 25-year old is working with a Boston-based company that comes down once a month to meet with him and texts or calls him daily. Graham sends them pictures of the food he is eyeing up to see if it is healthy for him or not.

And, of course, he is now under a coach that puts eating right at a premium.

“I’m getting helped double-time,” he said.

Graham has dropped 16 pounds and is currently around 260. The goal is to get down to 255 as he preps for a position change from defensive end to linebacker.

It’s not just the nutrition; Graham says he is benefitting from all the sports science that Chip Kelly utilizes.

“I see my body changing a lot,” said Graham. “I really didn’t know how dehydrated I was until they started doing that [sports science]. Now I’m hydrated, I’m moving a lot better out there, recovering a lot faster. If we keep it going, no telling how we’re going to be towards the end of the season.”

Graham told us a little bit about the sleep monitors that Kelly is asking his players to use.  The device is worn on the wrist, and is linked to an app that you can download on your phone. It tracks how many times you wake up during the night, and whether or not you are getting quality sleep.

The Michigan product will take any edge he can get. He is hopeful that this will be his breakout year, but is  tackling a new position for a new coach in a new scheme. Graham says that when it comes to the transition to outside linebacker, so far, so good.

“Now that I know the plays, I’m moving a lot faster,” he said.

WHAT YOU MISSED

Jason Peters is absent for personal reasons, according to Jeffrey Lurie.

Jason Kelce discusses the impact of Chip Kelly’s hurry-up on the quarterbacks.

Sheil tells us why Kelly values Mychal Kendricks.

When will Kelly name a starting QB?

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING

A check-in on Nnamdi Asomugha, courtesy of PFT.

Asomugha called defensive coordinator Vic Fangio’s scheme “more diverse than you think” and he won’t be playing the man coverage he prefers all the time, but said that his teammates have made the transition easier than it was when he moved to Philly in 2011.

“The adjustment hasn’t been that hard,” Asomugha said, via the team’s website. “This is a really solid defense all the way around. Since everybody knows the defense, it’s really easy to communicate. Anything I don’t get I can ask anybody on the defense and they pretty much have it down.”

Tom Moore talked to Barkley about life as a rookie quarterback.

Since Barkley began playing competitive football at the age of 10, he has always been the starter and earned the bulk of the first-team reps.

“I’m not going to be a little kid and beg the coaches for something more than what they’re giving me,” said Barkley after Tuesday’s workout. “You just do the best with what you’re given (and) give them every reason to put you out on the field.”

COMING UP

OTAs roll on. Media is permitted into Friday’s session.