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The Philadelphia Eagles continue to take aggressive steps to keep their young core together.
On Monday, April 15, the Eagles and wide receiver DeVonta Smith agreed to terms on a three-year contract extension worth $75 million which will make Smith one of the highest-paid players at the position across the NFL.
According to a report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Smith’s extension includes $51 million guaranteed. At the time of signing, Smith surpasses Jacksonville’s Christian Kirk as the eighth-highest-paid receiver in the league, by total contract value, according to Spotrac. Meanwhile, Smith’s guarantee ranks second in the league behind only Tyreek Hill.
Smith, 25, has quickly developed a reputation as one of the NFL’s smoothest route-runners and emerged as one of the quarterback Jalen Hurts‘ favorite targets.
As Pro Football Focus points out, Hurts produced a whopping 111.7 passer rating when targeting Smith, who averaged 3.6 yards after the catch per reception, last season.
Playing opposite A.J. Brown, Smith rounds out one of the most explosive wide receiver duos in the NFL.
“He is a great receiver, always prepared and he works so hard on his craft,” Brown said of Smith, via the team’s official website. “He does things that you see and you just go, ‘Did he just make that catch?’ I admire the way he approaches the game and how he plays out there.”
Through his first three seasons, after the Eagles traded up to select Smith No. 10 overall during the 2021 NFL Draft, the former Alabama standout has pulled down 240 receptions for 3,178 yards and 19 touchdowns. Meanwhile, Smith averages an explosive 13.2 yards per reception.
Even after Brown arrived in Philadelphia before the 2022 campaign, Smith surpassed 1,000 receiving yards each of the past two seasons.
Smith Just One Commitment to Eagles’ Homegrown Talent
The Eagles, and Roseman, have certainly made splashes in free agency so far this offseason, but perhaps more importantly, Philadelphia has made a strong commitment to retaining homegrown talent.
Smith’s extension is just the latest long-term pact signed by players that Roseman and the Eagles drafted who have developed into cornerstone players to the franchise’s success.
Earlier this offseason, the Eagles inked offensive guard Landon Dickerson to a four-year deal worth $84 million, making him the third-highest-paid player at the position, and Jodan Mailata put pen to paper on a colossal three-year deal worth $65 million to solidify Philadelphia’s future at left tackle.
All told, the Eagles have now committed $224 million to Dickerson, Mailata, and Smith, one year removed from signing Hurts to a five-year contract extension worth upwards of $255 million.
What Picks do the Eagles have to Keep Building in the 2024 NFL Draft?
Hurts, Smith, Dickerson, and Mailata are just four of the core players that Roseman and the Eagles have mined and developed into premier NFL talents during recent NFL Drafts.
After spending big in free agency, Roseman has the luxury of adding depth during this year’s draft, with few glaring weaknesses across the roster.
Here’s a look at the picks the Eagles currently own during the 2024 NFL Draft:
Round 1 – Pick No. 22
Round 2 – Pick no. 50 (via New Orleans Saints)
Round 2 – Pick No. 53
Round 4 – Pick No. 120 (via Pittsburgh Steelers)
Round 5 – Pick No. 161 (via Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
Round 5 – Pick No. 171
Round 5 – Pick No. 172
Round 6 – Pick No. 211
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