Eagles Believe DeVonta Smith Is A Headliner

A.J. Brown and his future will continue to dominate the conversation around the Philadelphia Eagles in the leadup the NFL's new league year in March until there is some closure.

That uncertainty makes it worth envisioning what life might look like without the three-time, second-team All-Pro.

That world would hand the baton to Brown’s talented co-star, DeVonta Smith, as the WR1 for the Eagles. And that’s a job that the Eagles’ brass believes the 2020 Heisman Trophy winner could handle.

To date, Brown and Smith have considered themselves 1A and 1B, and Smith has already delivered three 1,000-yard seasons, and set the rookie franchise record for receiving yards since arriving as the 10th overall pick in the 2021 draft out of Alabama.

Moving Brown could open the door for Smith to have a Jaxon Smith-Njigba type breakout as the centerpiece of a new Eagles’ offense under Sean Mannion.

It’s not a perfect comp, but the reigning Super Bowl champion Seahawks played the Shanahan/McVay style of offense the Eagles want to move toward, albeit with a higher-volume thrower in Sam Darnold.

Meanwhile, the domino that enabled JSN to break out and become the NFL Offensive Player of the Year was the trade of DK Metcalf, ironically Brown’s field and former teammate at Ole Miss, to Pittsburgh.

In a down 2025 season for the Philadelphia offense, Smith was arguably the only Eagles’ offensive player to maintain his standard of demonstrated performance. His arrow as a player is continuing to point up, according to head coach Nick Sirianni.

“I think he continually gets better,” Sirianni said. “... You’re always looking at it like, ‘Is his arrow on the rise? Is his arrow on the fall?’ And even if a guy doesn’t have his best year, he still can be on the rise.

“Well, I think we saw DeVonta have a great year, and I think you just continue to see him play better and better.”

Already Top-Tier

Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni (right) chats up receiver DeVonta Smith during practice. | Ed Kracz/Eagles on SI

Smith actually led the Eagles in receiving yards in 2025 with 1,008 last season, five more than Brown. However, Brown played in 15 games to Smith’s 17 and was still targeted more (121 to 113).

The belief in Smith is not directly related to any decision involving Brown but it’s nice insurance policy to have if GM Roseman makes the call is to go in another direction.

The belief inside the Jefferson Health Training Complex is that that SMith is the kind of receiver that can produce massive numbers with a WR1 level of targets.

“Guys that are tough, that love football, that are smart football players and they’re talented, have a tendency to reach their ceiling,” Sirianni said of Smith. “And I think that’s what you’re seeing. You’re seeing him continue to get better. You’re seeing him continue to do these things and make plays only that he can make on the football field.

“And so I just think you continue to see him on the rise and excited about what he’ll look like in this new offense that we’ll have.”

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