The Eagles shipped off A.J. Brown this offseason, and now their receiving corps is giving off some seriously shaky vibes as the season gets underway. This team is still considered a Super Bowl contender, eyeing a third straight division title and a return to the NFC Championship, but their offensive pass-catchers, beyond the top guy, look like a massive question mark that could hold everything back.
DeVonta Smith Is The Man, But Who Else Shows Up?
Let’s be real, DeVonta Smith is going to be amazing as the new WR1. He can absolutely do it all! The dude’s a burner, can make every contested catch out there despite his slim frame, and it’s incredible how healthy he’s stayed throughout his Eagles career. I’ve always thought he could do way more than he was asked in previous seasons, and the hope is that Sean Mannion’s offense will dish out some easy buttons for him and Jalen Hurts to exploit. He’s gotta replicate Brown’s numbers, but that’s not just going to magically happen. Even if Smith goes off like they’re hoping, the rest of the pass-catching crew has a ton of uncertainty. You just can’t feel confident in any of them right now, not as the season kicks off.
First-Round Bust Vibes And The Rest Of The Lot
The Eagles definitely went into the offseason expecting first-round draft pick Makai Lemon to be a major player, maybe even the starting outside receiver opposite Smith. But then came the summer-long hamstring battle that delayed his participation in training camp. And yeah, he wasn’t impressive in the third preseason game. It’s tough to see him making a big impact in his rookie year, and honestly, those Jalen Reagor vibes are way too strong right now.
Then there’s Dontayvion Wicks. His summer was encouraging, sure, but he was brought on to be the slot receiver, a spot he knows from his Green Bay days under Mannion. That familiarity is a good thing. However, Wicks compiled just 332 yards in 14 games last season, and his career high for a season is 581 yards back in his 2023 rookie year. He averaged just 23.7 yards per game last year. Not exactly eye-popping numbers for a guy you’re counting on. Darius Cooper, the training camp superstar, is an interesting player, and who knows, maybe he could emerge as a surprise contributor. But we all know how most camp superstars fizzle once the real games get going. And finally, there are the “wily veterans” Elijah Moore and Hollywood Brown. Both made the 53-man roster, hoping one of them can somehow find the fountain of youth. Moore combined for 9 catches and 112 yards with the Bills last season.
This receiving situation is a major storyline for the Eagles from day one. They are still contenders, but if Smith doesn’t get some serious help from these other guys, it’s going to be a long season for their offense. We’ll be watching how this plays out, because the receiving depth is looking like the biggest weakness on an otherwise championship-caliber roster.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleeding Green Nation.
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