"FOUR QUARTERBACKS were taken in the first round of the draft last night, which means there probably will be four fewer teams calling the Eagles about Kevin Kolb when the NFL gives the green light to player movement again.

Cross off the Carolina Panthers, who took Cam Newton with the first pick, and the Tennessee Titans, who took Jake Locker at No. 8. Scratch the Jacksonville Jaguars, who traded up and grabbed Blaine Gabbert at 10, and the Minnesota Vikings, who reached big-time and took projected second-rounder Christian Ponder at 12.

"It really doesn't bother me," said Eagles coach Andy Reid, who probably could have gotten a top-10 pick for Kolb last night if he had been allowed to trade him. Instead, they stayed put at 23 with their own first-round pick and selected 26-year-old Baylor offensive lineman Danny Watkins.

"That's the hand we were dealt. We went into the process thinking that was going to be the case. And that's the way it played out. We knew the people that were interested in Kevin. We'll see how things work out when everything is lifted. Who knows what's going to happen? We're going to keep our ears open."

In the wake of Judge Susan Nelson's refusal Wednesday to grant a stay of the preliminary injunction she issued earlier in the week that ended the league's lockout of the players, the NFL notified teams yesterday that they were reopening for business while it waits for the U.S. Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals to rule on its stay request.

Team facilities were reopened to players this morning, which means they can work out there, schedule medical and rehabilitation activity and meet with coaches about things like film study and classroom work. Clubs also were given the green light to distribute playbooks and set up voluntary workout programs, including OTAs.

But much to Kolb's chagrin, player transactions, including trades, still are on hold. The league still hasn't determined when the free-agency signing period will begin or even what the rules of free agency will be. That determination could be made as soon as today, but likely will be put off until next week."