Is Philadelphia Eagles wideout A.J. Brown holding teammate DeVonta Smith again? Some inside the group seem to imagine so.
As commerce chatter a few potential commerce involving Brown will increase with the 2026 NFL Draft somewhat over per week away — Spherical 1 shall be held on April 23 — the Philly Voice’s Jimmy Kempski lately examined what the Eagles’ receiving corps would appear like if the three-time Professional Bowl broad receiver is dealt.
Whereas naming Smith WR1, Kempski revealed the pondering of some Eagles staffers who’ve excessive expectations for the 2020 Heisman winner.
“There are some inside the Eagles’ group who imagine that if Brown have been now not with the group that Smith can have an identical leap in manufacturing that Jaxon Smith-Njigba had in Seattle as soon as DK Metcalf was out of the best way,” Kempski wrote.
Final offseason, the Seattle Seahawks traded Metcalf to the Pittsburgh Steelers, making Smith-Njigba their high wideout. He rewarded Seattle’s religion by incomes Related Press Offensive Participant of the Yr honors, ending 2025 with 119 receptions for a league-high 1,793 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns.
Eagles imagine DeVonta Smith may blossom in WR1 position pending potential A.J. Brown commerce
Brown and Smith put up practically an identical numbers final season, with Brown ending the 12 months with 78 receptions on 121 targets for 1,003 yards and 7 touchdowns. Smith had 77 receptions on 113 targets, gaining 1,008 yards with 4 touchdowns. Advanced data from NFL Pro barely favored Smith, who added 0.46 anticipated factors (EPA) per goal, in comparison with 0.21 EPA per goal for Brown, who led the group with a 24.3 % goal share, per Sports Info Solutions.
With out a lot separating the 2 by way of manufacturing, it is sensible why the Eagles would favor Smith, whom they chose with their 2021 first-round decide (No. 10 general) and is a 12 months youthful and $7M cheaper yearly than Brown.
However Philadelphia shall be making an enormous guess if it believes Smith can have the identical form of season Smith-Njigba simply had with the Seahawks. Quarterback Jalen Hurts has averaged 197.6 passing yards per recreation over the previous two seasons, the fewest (by 20 yards) amongst 15 quarterbacks with at the very least 30 begins throughout that span. (h/t Stathead)
The Eagles are additionally on their fifth offensive coordinator, Sean Mannion, in as many seasons, including to the uncertainty.
If front-office or teaching workers members imagine buying and selling Brown would be the key to unlocking one other degree of manufacturing out of Smith, they might be sorely mistaken. Whereas he’d actually command a bigger goal share, it might be clever to pump the brakes on a Smith-Njigba-esque ascension.
It will not be that easy. Even when Brown is dealt, sufficient issues will stay {that a} monster season from Smith shall be removed from assured.
