Everyone was excited to see what the Philadelphia Eagles would bring to the table in the preseason finale against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Things didn’t go according to plan for the Eagles, who lost 30-13 to the Bengals. Winning and losing in the preseason doesn’t matter for the fan base, but they wanted to at least see a good performance from rookie first-round pick wide receiver Makai Lemon.
The NFL debut of Lemon was a disappointment to say the least. He finished with 3 receptions for 3 yards on 5 targets, as well as 1 punt return for 0 yards. Lemon had two rough plays: a drop that led to an interception and a muffed punt return, raising some concerns about him.
Philadelphia Eagles HC Nick Sirianni Addressed Makai Lemon’s Debut
After the game, Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni was asked about Lemon’s performance. Sirianni was honest, but fair about what he saw with Lemon.
“Few opportunities, but we’ll look at it. There’s gonna be ups and downs for every player. There’s gonna be good plays, bad plays. Obviously, he’s going to want that catch back on third down, to be able to hang onto that, not cause a turnover that basically led to points. We’ve seen some good things throughout his practices where we’re feeling good about his development. He’s got to continue to develop. Young player that we know we’re going to be able to count on this year.”
“Few opportunities, but we’ll look at it. There’s gonna be ups and downs for every player. There’s gonna be good plays, bad plays. Obviously, he’s going to want that catch back on third down, to be
The Eagles traded up three spots with the Dallas Cowboys in the 2026 NFL Draft to select Lemon with the 20th overall pick. Lemon was the Fred Biletnikoff Award winner and an Unanimous All-American selection last year with the USC Trojans. He caught 79 passes for 1,156 yards and 11 touchdowns.
What to Make of Makai Lemon’s Debut With Eagles
Eagles fans were hoping for a little more from him. Lemon did make a good adjustment to his first catch that was thrown off target to him for three yards. After that, though, things went off the rails for the rookie.
It was his first preseason game, so everyone shouldn’t lose their minds over it. He is still adjusting to the speed of the game and learning a new offense. Plus, he hasn’t worked with the backups as much in training camp.
With one game under his belt, Lemon can use it as a learning experience and keep building his development. He will have two weeks to prepare for the regular season opener against the Washington Commanders. Lemon still has the potential to be a great wide receiver, so patience will be key for everyone.
Nick Sirianni Held Nothing Back on Eagles’ Struggling Rookie After Loss