Overheard at Camp: Juqua Parker Busted for Weed

Something that happened off the field was all the talk at Eagles practice Wednesday morning as news that starting defensive end Juqua Parker was arrested for marijuana possession surfaced.

Here is what happened early Wednesday morning near Lehigh, according to a Lower Saucon Township Police Report obtained by NBC Philadelphia.

Parker, 31, was a passenger along with two women in a van driven by Eagles offensive lineman Todd Herremans. The van was pulled over for a traffic violation at 12:33 a.m. on North Mountain Drive at Route 378 in Bethlehem, Pa.

Police found Parker to be in possession of a “small amount of marijuana.”

He was arraigned for the possession charge and committed to Northampton County Prison.

Parker was released after posting $1,000 bail later Wednesday morning, a prison official said.

The Eagles would only confirm that an incident happened, NBC Philadelphia learned.

"It's in the law's hands right now. As time goes on, I'll know more," said Reid.

The team curfew was 1 a.m., he said.

Herremans wasn't charged with drug possession.

Herremans was cooperative with the officers who made the stop, according to the Inquirer's David Sell. He was cited for making an illegal left turn and driving without headlights, police told Sell.

The 26-year-old offensive guard was disciplined by Reid on at least two previous occasions for violating unspecified team rules, said Express-Times' Nick Fierro.

Herremans took part in both practices Wednesday.

Parker was already excused from morning practice as part of Head Coach Andy Reid’s policy of giving players over 30 off every third practice, according to the Express-Times.

Parker returned to the practice field for the afternoon session. But he didn't address reporters.

He is in a battle to start at defensive end. He was listed as a starter on the Eagles Web site's unofficial depth chart.

Last season he made 76 tackles, five sacks and returned an interception for a touchdown.

As for the action on the field at Lehigh:

First-round pick Jeremy Maclin was finally at a morning practice after ending his hold out.

It wasn’t known how the hold out would affect the first-year wideout. There may be some history that helps tell how the “Mac Attack” will fair as a rookie. Check out this article from the Daily News for a great analysis of what other first-round pick receivers did in recent years.

Maclin immediately made his presence known making a nice touchdown grab, said NBC Philadelphia's Jade McCarthy.

And an interesting tribute to former-Bird Brian Dawkins was announced. Jeffrey Lurie said that as long as he owns the Eagles that no player will ever wear B-Dawk's No. 20 -- a claim Lurie only made once before (for Reggie White), according to Philly.com's Bob Brookover.

It wasn't quite a number retirement but close enough.

Copyright Associated Press / NBC 10 Philadelphia

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