On Dad Bods and New WRs, Carson Wentz Dons Pads in Year 5

All eyes were on Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz as he put on the pads on Monday for the first time since January's devastating loss to Seattle

All eyes were on Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz as he put on the pads on Monday for the first time since January's devastating loss to Seattle on Wild Card Weekend.

For Wentz of course, the setback to the Seahawks was more than just the agony of defeat. It was the realization that an early-game concussion on a borderline hit by Jadeveon Clowney meant the Eagles star quarterback wasn't involved in deciding the outcome, the third of Wentz's four seasons which ended with the QB1 on the injury list.

The early returns looked promising as the now fifth-year quarterback took about double the reps of his two potential backups, Nate Sudfeld and Jalen Hurts, who split the rest of the work evenly with Sudfeld leading the twos and the rookie Heisman Trophy runner-up mopping up from there.

In a 10/10//10 session which is designed for the defense to give the offense (and vice versa) certain looks to work on execution, Wentz looked sharp. His lone bad throw was outside to Dallas Goedert and one linebacker Alex Singleton should have corralled for an interception.

Other than that Wentz mixed in rookies Jalen Regaor, the team's first-round pick, and Quez Watkins nicely, finding the latter for a pair of touchdowns in red-zone work and the former for another TD in the corner of the end zone.

"He's an explosive athlete," Wentz said of Reagor. "You can see that with his route-running ability and his downfield presence. You turn on his highlight tape and see what he does with the ball in his hand. ... I know what he brings as a threat to the defense."

With veteran Alshon Jeffery still rehabbing from Lisfranc surgery and J.J. Arcega-Whiteside day-to-day with a lower-body injury, Reagor started out at the X position with veteran DeSean Jackson holding down the Z spot and Greg Ward earning the slot work. Watkins mixed in at the Z to keep the 33-year-old Jackson fresh.

“I’ve been thoroughly impressed,” said Eagles coach Doug Pederson said before the session when discussing Wentz's work during the acclimation period. “He has come into camp obviously in great shape. He’s the leader of our football team. He’s coaching up the young players, which is great to see."

The chemistry seems to be building nicely with the young receivers and building on what was done with Jackson early last season and Ward late in the campaign.

"He’s working well with DeSean and Greg Ward," said Pederson. "... the guys that were on the field at the end of the season last year and getting a really good rapport with them. (He has) really taken ownership in this pandemic and where we are as a football team and really excited where he is now as the leader of our football team."

With no fans, coaches, and media in masks, nothing was all that normal but nothing changes in between the lines for Wentz and Co.

"I thought it was just as intense as normal," said Wentz. "I think once we go out on that field, it's football. Obviously there are a lot of protocols in place inside with the virus and everything. Once we are on that field, guys are full speed ahead."

And that means time for a little good-natured ribbing as well. Wentz's much-publicized physical transformation had both Jason Kelce and Lane Johnson laughing about the first-time father's bulked-up frame in recent days with both using the term "dad body."

Wentz confirmed he is up to about 250 pounds and gave it right back to his star O-Linemen.

"They could have said ‘dad strength,’ Wentz joked, "but ‘dad bod’ is all right. ... I’m at 250 right now. I feel good. I definitely put on some strength and worked hard this offseason."

John McMullen contributes Eagles coverage for SI.com's EagleMaven and is the NFL Insider for JAKIB Media. You can listen to John every Monday and Friday on SIRIUSXM’s Tony Bruno Show with Harry Mayes, and every Tuesday and Thursday with Eytan Shander on SBNation Radio. You can reach him at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or on Twitter @JFMcMullen

Get the latest Eagles news by joining the community. Click "Follow" at the top right of EagleMaven page. Mobile users click the notification bell. And please follow @kracze on Twitter.