Why Dontayvion Wicks Strong Start To Camp Is Needed For Eagles Rookie Makai Lemon

PHILADELPHIA - The early days of training camp have been a struggle for a revamped Eagles offense led by Sean Mannion.

If the early returns are any indication, wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks is positioning himself as an even more important contributor in the team’s passing offense, especially in September.

Acquired via trade from the Green Bay Packers this offseason and signed to a one-year extension for solid money, the fourth-year veteran is leveraging his familiarity with Mannion’s system while first-round rookie Makai Lemon continues to grow into his role.

Wicks, who reunited with Mannion (the Packers’ former quarterbacks coach) and other staff who know him well like tight ends coach/run game coordinator Ryan Mahaffey, sounded comfortable and confident after Saturday’s practice.

“I feel great. I’ve been around Sean a little bit with the Packers, so you know, it was just a little cleaning up and getting on the details of new words. Learning the new words, but I’m a little familiar with with the offense, what we got going,” Wicks said.

The Head Start

Jul 30, 2026; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Sean Mannion during training camp at Jefferson Health Training Complex. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

That head start has proven valuable in an offense that emphasizes timing, motion, effort and a sound pre-snap operation, according to Mannion.

With DeVonta Smith as the clear top target and difference maker, a complement is needed in a post-A.J. Brown world. Lemon, the 20th overall pick out of USC and 2025 Biletnikoff Award winner, is still adjusting to the speed and complexity of the NFL game after dealing with a hamstring injury in the offseason program.

Wicks, meanwhile, has carved out significant first-team reps early in camp and shown an ability to make contested catches and win intermediate routes.

When the Eagles have been in 12 personnel (two WRs), it’s been Smith and Wicks. Right now Lemon is closer to WR4, Hollywood Brown, than Wicks.

Wicks has even taken on a bit of a leadership role because of his history with Mannion and the offense, noting that the broader receiving group has adapted quickly.

“It’s been good. Everybody been learning the offense well. Me getting in to this offense, it was hard. It was hard to learn, but being here, people learning it fast, faster than expected,” Wicks said. “So that that helped us build chemistry quicker and be able to see things better."

The connection with quarterback Jalen Hurts is the most important part and that’s also progressing well in the early stages of camp.

Wicks has been studying Hurts’ work with the rest of the receiving group and using those observations to tighten their timing together.

“It’s been good, man. It’s only the start of camp and it’s been good so far getting it in with them. During the team periods, watching him go through with the other receivers, you know, learning from that. We just learn from each other and build chemistry that way,” Wicks explained.

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