DeVonta Smith is officially the Philadelphia Eagles' WR1, a move that changes everything for their passing game after the team finally traded A.J. Brown to the Patriots this offseason. This isn't just a reshuffle; it's Smith's shot to be the top guy for the first time since his rookie season back in 2021, and the vibes coming out of the Eagles' building are that he has only scratched the surface of what he can do in the NFL.
The Slim Reaper's Time to Shine Under a New OC
This season could be absolutely wild for Smith, especially with new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion calling plays. There's real hope this new scheme will make Smith's skills pop off the screen even more. Over his five NFL seasons, Smith has been a monster, averaging over 1,000 yards every single year. His best season was in 2022, when he racked up nearly 1,200 yards on 136 targets. Think about that: in his other four seasons, he averaged 104.5 targets. If Mannion gets him somewhere between 140-150 targets in 2026? Yeah, a "wildly productive" season feels like an understatement. Get ready for some serious highlight reels, because Smith is about to explode.Jalen Carter's "Hold In" And What It Means For The Defense
Alright, but not everything is sunshine and touchdowns in Philly. There's a giant question mark hanging over iDL Jalen Carter. The guy's got shoulder concerns, which isn't new; he dealt with them last offseason too. But here's the kicker: Carter skipped voluntary OTAs and didn't even participate in 11-on-11s during mandatory minicamp. What's going on? He's eligible for a contract extension, which would likely set the Eagles back north of $30 million per season. Head coach Nick Sirianni tried to play it cool back in June, saying, "I'm sorry, I'm not going to get into all those different things... everybody's in a little bit different boat right now... that's where Jalen is right now." But let's be real, this sounds like a "hold in." That's when a player shows up to avoid fines but refuses to participate because of a contract beef. Carter's participation, or lack thereof, is gonna be the obvious storyline on Day 1 of training camp, and that's a huge distraction for a team trying to kick things off right. So, the Eagles are setting up for a potentially massive season for DeVonta Smith, which is incredibly exciting. But they're also staring down a "joke" of an opponent in the Titans, who are coming off a 3-14 season and hoping a new head coach can fix their culture. And then there's the whole Jalen Carter situation. Can they get that sorted before it derails the defense? The stakes are high for what kind of season this team is going to have.This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.