PHILADELPHIA � The Eagles are hoping Leonard Weaver is the answer to their short-yardage woes.

A team that couldn�t pick up a yard near the goal line in a loss to Chicago last season, or at midfield near the end of a defeat to the Giants, is hoping one of its least-heralded offseason acquisitions could return the biggest dividends
�I already told the guys we�ll be good in short-yardage (situations),� Weaver said on Wednesday after the team finished a morning workout as part of an organized team activity. �We�re going to go north and south, none of that east-west stuff.�
The 6-foot, 250-pound Weaver is an old school fullback. He�s built to knock defensive lineman and linebackers off the ball and open holes for veteran running back Brian Westbrook and rookie LeSean McCoy.
Those third-and-1 plays should be converted more often this year.
�He�s excellent, an excellent football player,� Eagles offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg said. �He�s fitting in beautifully. The terminology hasn�t even been an issue, he�s getting our offense down fairly simple.�
That�s because the offense Weaver played in under head coach Mike Holmgren in Seattle isn�t much different from the one he�s learning with the Eagles.
�It�s almost exactly the same,� Weaver said. �That�s made it easy for me to jump right in and be ready to go.�
Weaver wanted to stay in Seattle, but Holmgren retired and the Seahawks had different ideas and never came to him with a valid offer.
�It was tough,� he said. �It�s the only team I�ve ever played for and I loved Seattle. It�s just like Brian Dawkins here. I�m sure if the Eagles would have made him a good offer he would have stayed. That�s just how it goes.�
Once he realized he wasn�t going back to the Pacific Northwest, Weaver began looking for teams he felt needed a fullback. That�s when the Eagles, who last year went through three different players in training camp and then tried to convert first Tony Hunt and then Dan Klecko, came on the radar.
�I really didn�t know what they went through last season at the position,� Weaver said. �I was too busy worrying about what I was doing. Then when my agent and I made up the list they were on it.�
Still he wasn�t sure it was going to happen.
�I didn�t know if they were interested in me,� Weaver said. �I knew they had other needs to address first. When they did show interest, we got it done.�
Weaver signed a one-year deal, which will give both sides a chance to see how he fits.
Through a couple of minicamps, it looks like a good match.
�I�m loving it here,� Weaver said. �This locker room, this group of players, reminds me a lot of what I left in Seattle. There is a lot of camaraderie. I came here and made friends instantly.�
He�ll make even more once the Eagles start converting those third-and-1s.
Also on Wednesday, Westbrook remained out of practice with an ankle injury.
�I think he�s going to be fine,� Mornhinweg said. �We talked. I�m not concerned.�