THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

PHILADELPHIA -- Brian Westbrook returned to practice with the Philadelphia Eagles on Saturday for the first time since off-season ankle surgery.

While most of the attention was on newly signed quarterback Michael Vick, a far more important Eagles player took the field when Westbrook lined up in the backfield with Philadelphia's first-team offence. The star running back had surgery to remove scar tissue and bone fragments from his right ankle in June. He initially hurt the ankle last season in Week 3 against Pittsburgh.

Westbrook also had his left knee cleaned out shortly after the Eagles lost to Arizona in the NFC championship game last January. He experienced pain in the ankle while rehabbing the knee.