Wentz still enjoying his Eagles honeymoon

One month has passed since the Eagles drafted Carson Wentz, and the honeymoon period for the No. 2 overall draft pick remains in effect.

Wentz started his third week of organized team activities Tuesday. He continues as the third-string quarterback, and he's enjoyed the discussions about football, schemes, and "life" in a quarterbacks room that includes starter Sam Bradford and second-stringer Chase Daniel.

Wentz said he has felt welcomed in the locker room, and that is different from what he heard often happens when a player enters the NFL.

"So far, it's been great," Wentz said. "I enjoy the teammates. I enjoy the locker room. I enjoy this time, this rookie year. It only happens once. Learning this offense as a rookie. . . . I've enjoyed the heck out of it. It's been great to be around the coaching staff. They're top-notch guys. Learning a lot of ball, and I love it."

He's still undefeated and has not yet thrown an interception in front of the fans, so there wasn't much turbulence in May. But when Wentz was asked to identify what the biggest surprise of his first month in the NFL has been, he couldn't think of one before remarking about his new teammates.

"You hear, as a rookie, it's just business," Wentz said. "In this locker room, it's full of a bunch of great dudes. It's a team atmosphere, a family atmosphere. That's been a real positive surprise for me. I've enjoyed my time so far."

Wentz said the quarterbacks are "not out the get each other." The depth chart and eventual succession plan has not created problems.

The fuzzy feelings seem to be contagious. Bradford, who knows Wentz is his successor, also shared how much he's enjoyed the position meetings during the last three weeks. Bradford called his teammates "great dudes." Bradford and Wentz both benefit from Daniel, whose three years of experience in the system allows him to offer insight. And Bradford has been impressed by Wentz.

"He's been great," Bradford said. "He's a great kid. He's really talented. It's been fun working with him, trying to help him. Trying to help with bits of information I've picked up along the way."

Bradford was once in Wentz's situation, albeit as the No. 1 pick and with a better path to start at quarterback. Bradford could share esoteric insight of what Wentz is now experiencing. He snapped his fingers to indicate how quickly his first spring went by in 2010.

"It was all a blur," Bradford said. "It seemed like it all happened so fast. You go through the draft process. You get drafted. You're in a new city. You try to learn a new offense. You try to get acclimated to the speed of the game. You're trying to figure out so many things. I look back at that time, and it feels like it went like that, and it's all kind of a blur."

The speed of the game is what has stood out to Wentz during his first month. He expected it. Wentz said before the draft that it would be the biggest adjustment. But it's one thing to see it on tape, and another to see it in practice.

"It's evident out there," Wentz said "Everything happens faster. Windows are tighter. Safeties are cutting off things quicker."

Wentz had one play Tuesday in which he tried throwing a screen to his left, but Bryan Braman knocked the ball away. The space closed quicker than Wentz was likely used to at North Dakota State.

Wentz described the offensive system as "just more" than what he had in college. More verbiage. More schemes, and more details. But he enjoyed the learning process this month, and there have been plays when it's clear why the Eagles valued him. He connected with wide receiver Xavier Rush on one pass down the right sideline Tuesday that traveled more than 50 yards. He read the safeties and knew he had the coverage to go deep.

The adjustment to a new city is the other part of the transition. Wentz's brother and sister-in-law will soon join him. His brother, Zach, was presented a cheesesteak from students on his last day of school as a teacher in Bismarck, N.D., according to his Twitter account. He will give Wentz a familiar face around town and help with off-field demands.

"It's starting to sink in that this is home," Wentz said. "I still got to have a little more free time to go out and enjoy and see some of the things. But I'm feeling comfortable here."

There will be time for that in the spring and summer before training camp begins July 25. Then, come the preseason and the regular season, the honeymoon period will end, and the marriage will start to take shape.

"The 'Welcome to the NFL moment' will probably happen on some Sunday sometime," Wentz said. "Nothing in practice has really done that for me quite yet."

Defensive lineman Fletcher Cox and running back Darren Sproles remain absent from OTAs. They are required to attend next week's minicamp. . . . Top running back Ryan Mathews was back on the field after missing time last week with an illness. . . . Former Eagles safety Walter Thurmond retired from the NFL, according to multiple reports. Thurmond, 28, started all 16 games for the Eagles last season.

zberman@phillynews.com

@ZBerm www.philly.com/eaglesblog