Carson Wentz lunged to his right and then backpedaled to avoid a rush. After darting forward again Reuben Foster Jersey , he quickly rolled to his right and took off down the sideline at full speed.

The only reminder Saturday that the Philadelphia Eagles quarterback was returning from knee surgery was the brace attached his left leg.

”Obviously he’s got some of that Kobe Bryant (stuff) in his knee,” defensive end Michael Bennett said with a smile, referring to the offseason knee treatment in Germany the NBA great used to receive. ”He probably went to Germany or Switzerland or some (stuff), because he’s looking really good out there.”

How upbeat were the Eagles after Wentz went through 11-on-11 drills with the starters at the first padded practice of training camp? Coach Doug Peterson interrupted new offensive coordinator Mike Groh’s press conference with the key question for the Super Bowl champions.

”I know you don’t want to put a timetable on Carson, but what’s your timetable?” Pederson asked, smirking.

”Great question,” Groh said.

Wentz sure looked close to ready, if not already there, during a humid morning practice. Barely seven months removed from tearing the anterior cruciate and lateral collateral ligaments in his left knee, Wentz participated in full team drills without limitations. While he tossed two interceptions, he drew rave reviews from his teammates and coaches for his arm strength, accuracy and mobility.

”He’s in the right frame of mind. He’s making some good throws,” Groh said. ”As you can see Brian O'Neill Youth Jersey , we’re pretty good on defense. Those guys are making it challenging for us on offense, particularly early, first day in pads.”

Wentz dazzled in 13 games last season, throwing for 3,296 yards and 33 touchdowns with just seven interceptions. The Eagles led the NFL in scoring and were 11-2 after Wentz went down on Dec. 10.

Behind backup Nick Foles, the Eagles went on to win their first NFL title. But it’s clear that even though Foles was the Super Bowl MVP, Wentz will become the starter again when he’s ready.

”When you’re rehabbing something, it’s not an exponential line. It’s not you’re slowly getting better and then you rapidly accelerate,” tight end Zach Ertz said. ”There’s going to be times in training camp probably where he doesn’t feel great or his knee doesn’t feel great and they’ll back him off.”

Because of that, the Eagles remain tight-lipped about whether they expect Wentz under center for the season opener Sept. 6 against Atlanta. It’s also uncertain if he’ll appear in a preseason game. Wentz didn’t speak to reporters after the 2 1/2-hour workout.

”To have everybody out there, Carson there, in some people’s minds is ahead of schedule,” Groh said. ”But I know this was his target date. So we’re happy to have him out there working. It’s only going to make everybody better.”

NOTES: With several receivers banged up and not practicing Dan Bailey Jersey Womens , including Alshon Jeffery and Bryce Treggs, the Eagles signed WR DeAndre Carter. The move gives the Eagles the maximum 90 players. … The team displayed the Lombardi Trophy in a glass case outside the practice fields, allowing fans to snap pictures while standing next to it.

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Operating in the middle of the Baltimore Ravens defensive line, Brandon Williams is expected to bang helmets with one or two 300-pound brutes before pushing them aside so one of his teammates can make the tackle.

Although the task is instrumental to the success of Baltimore’s gritty defense, it often goes unnoticed by the casual fan and does not produce impressive statistical numbers.

”I’m totally fine with what I do,” Williams said after practice Monday. ”I know it’s a dirty job, but somebody’s got to do it and I’m happy to raise my hand and volunteer. As long as my guys have my back and are making plays around me, that’s all I care about.”

Told it’s not exactly a sexy job, the 6-foot-1, 336-pound Williams smiled and said, ”Oh, it’s sexy. As long as I’m there, it’s sexy.”

Drafted in the third round of the 2013 draft out of Missouri Southern State Lamar Jackson Jersey , Williams has been Baltimore’s starting nose tackle for the past five years. He follows a long line of players who have effectively filled an unglamorous, pivotal position.

”A lot of interior linemen who have come through here and had the honor of being considered a Raven for life, the No. 1 thing they had was toughness,” Baltimore linebacker Terrell Suggs said.

”Can you be mentally tough? Can you physically dominate the man across from you? I think Brandon Williams embodies that. He can be considered in the rare group of the Tony Siragusas, the Kelly Greggs, the Haloti Ngatas.”

The Ravens showed their appreciation to Williams in 2017 when they provided him with a five-year contract rather than allow him to test free agency.

Last year, he started the first two games, both of them victories in which Baltimore allowed a total of 10 points and forced 10 turnovers.

Williams missed the next four games with a foot injury, and the Ravens won only one of them.

”When we lost him, we sunk a little bit,” defensive line coach Joe Cullen said. ”Brandon is the epitome of what you want an inside tackle to be. He’s really quick for a big guy, but so strong he can get big knock-back at the point of attack.”

Williams has 188 career tackles, 4 sacks and one touchdown – on a fumble recovery he took in from the 1.

These facts and figures do nothing to convey his importance to the Ravens.

”I’m a big Brandon Williams fan Aaron Rodgers Jersey Youth ,” coach John Harbaugh said. ”Ask the offensive line coaches and the offensive linemen around the league how they feel about blocking him. He’s a force in there. He takes up two blockers, sometimes more. He’s very stout.

”You want great players everywhere, but in the middle of your defense it’s important to have an anchor that can keep people from running inside and can create better angles for your defense. It’s nice to have a big, physical run stopper. The Ravens have always had that. It’s really been a staple here historically.”

Williams certainly doesn’t mind being Baltimore’s next man in the middle, but he’s not interested in merely carrying on a tradition that began long ago.

”I want to play how I play,” Williams said. ”I’m not Haloti, even though he was a great player and I learned a lot from him. I want to do my own thing, just be whatever I can be for the team.”

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