Chip Kelly, Nick Foles

Philadelphia Eagles head coach Chip Kelly talks to Nick Foles during the second half of a game against the Arizona Cardinals on Dec. 1, 2013, in Philadelphia.

(AP Photo/The Philadelphia Inquirer | RON CORTES)

Allen Barbre sees being a starter for the Philadelphia Eagles pretty much the same way as being a reserve.

"I guess I don't really feel any different," he said. "I come out and work hard every day. Whether I'm a backup or whether I'm a starter, I want my team to trust me and I want to go out and play for my teammates."

Barbre will get every chance after being named the starter at right tackle by Eagles head coach Chip Kelly Saturday at the first practice of training camp at the NovaCare Center in South Philadelphia.

Barbre, a 6-foot-4, 310-pound seven-year NFL veteran, will take the spot of Lane Johnson during the second-year player and 2013 top draft pick's four-game suspension for performance-enhancing drugs.

"Allen Barbre will start out there," said Kelly, with the usual Kelly caveat that that statement just applies to Saturday, not to the season opener Sept. 7 against Jacksonville. "Obviously we've got to prepare for our first four games, so we've got to get the guy who is going to be the starting right tackle for the first four games."

Kelly said Barbre may have been a factor in the first-squad line even without Johnson's suspension.

"(Barbre) was really going to be pushing those guys if Lane wasn't (suspended), pushing all those other guys for playing time," Kelly said. "When he's had an opportunity to perform, he did a great job. He did a great job, again, in the off-season program. That's why we wanted to have him back here (the Birds gave Barbre a three-year contract extension over the winter)."

Quarterback Nick Foles is glad to have Barbre, too.

"He's tremendous, he's such a hard worker," Foles said. "You guys (the media) see him in games and some of the practices, but I get to see him in the meeting room and the weight room and he is such a hard worker, he really gets after it. I don't even blink with him out there."

Barbre appreciates the support and recognizes the task ahead.

"For them to show confidence enough in me to sign me, shows that they trust me. Now, I just come out and do my part," he said.

Not a good start

Wide receiver and return specialist Damaris Johnson, who may struggle to make the team, didn't help his cause by fumbling a kickoff return, a fumble recovered by linebacker Najee Goode.