Why This Battle at Eagles Training Camp Matters More Than Anyone Thinks

Without A.J. Brown, the Eagles are will have more depth at WR. That isn't always a good thing.

Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Philadelphia Eagles are taking a big risk at wide receiver this year, and it was a decision they didn't want to make.

A.J. Brown wanted to be traded from Philadelphia, which led the Eagles to prepare for a contingency plan at wide receiver. DeVonta Smith is a part of that plan, as he takes over the WR1 with Brown off to New England.

There's little doubt Smith can replace Brown as the WR1. He's been an excellent player for years, and has been a 1A to Brown. Brown and Smith were considered one of the best wide receiver duos in the NFL for a reason.

Smith is ready to be a WR1 again, and should shine in that role. The biggest question on the Eagles offense does involve Smith, in a different way.

Who is going to replace Smith as the WR2? Does a trio of Dontayvion Wicks, Makai Lemon, and Hollywood Brown replace that production? Or the dominance of Brown and Smith has a duo?

The answer to both questions, probably not. But the Eagles are going to try.

The WR2 battle this summer is vital for the Eagles offense. Is this trio of players good enough to make Sean Mannion's offense go?

Can Wicks and Lemon take the reins as WR2?

There's a lot of pressure on both Wicks and Lemon this season, albeit in a different way.

The Eagles acquired Wicks from the Green Bay Packers in the hopes he can be a consistent option at wide receiver in the offense. Wick is the veteran of Mannion's system, and is getting an opportunity to catch passes and become a playmaker -- a chance he didn't get in Green Bay.

Wicks even received a good-faith payment, a $12.5 million extension for 2027 by the Eagles. This is a two-year trial by the Eagles to see if Wicks can be a long term piece in the offense, getting more targets and the chance to be a reliable option for Jalen Hurts.

Lemon is expected to be an instant contributor in the offense, whether that's in the slot or on the outside. The Eagles traded up to get Lemon in the first round of the draft for a reason. They want him to catch passes and gain yards after the catch, easing the pressure on Smith and Wicks.

If Lemon grasps the offense quickly, the passing game can be very good. Lemon could take the WR2 spot from Wicks, which is even better for the Eagles offense going forward.

What if Lemon isn't ready and that hamstring doesn't fully heal? What if Wicks doesn't consistently gets open and proves why Green Bay was right to move on?

Then the Eagles are in serious trouble at wide receiver.

Will Hollywood Brown help?

No matter what Brown's role is going to be in this offense, this spring is proving he's going to be a welcome addition. Brown winning the WR2 job isn't a good thing for the Eagles, but he can be a valuable asset as a WR3 or WR4.

Brown will get his fair share of targets if his foot injury is 100% healed, emerging as a deep ball threat in this offense. He was once a highly productive player in this league, and has shown flashes of that at times.

Now 29 years old, being a part of a wide receiver core instead of the WR1 or Wr2 would be good for Brown. He can challenge the starters and make the most out of his targets.

Is the WR room better?

Absolutely not. Trading a player of Brown's caliber isn't going to make any position better, even if it is addition by subtraction. Brown isn't "the best to ever play here," but he was pretty good in his four seasons playing in Philadelphia.

Brown gone leaves a void at wide receiver. The Eagles are still deeper at wide receiver than they have been in years, having viable options 1 through 4.

When Brown was in Philadelphia, 1 and 2 were the options and WR3 was typically in flux. Jahan Dotson did a good job in his two years in that role, but he was proof there was just one ball to go around -- with two stars that needed it.

Smith will get his high dose of targets, but the ball will be spread out more behind him. The Eagles will go with the hot hand, whether that's Wicks, Lemon, or Brown.

All three could be good on one day, or neither of them will. Hence why the Eagles need Wicks to be consistent.

Lemon is still a rookie and will need time to develop. Brown was brought in to provide depth and ease the pressure off the top of the depth chart.

This core four of Smith, Wicks, Lemon, and Brown can be very dangerous -- but there are a lot of questions that need to be answered.

There's a lot of talent in this group, but are the Eagles better off at wide receiver? This summer will tell a lot about how this position will be in 2026.