With Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown most likely on his way out, it has only opened the door for DeVonta Smith to become the new number one target in this offense for quarterback Jalen Hurts.
Back in 2021, Smith was a first-round pick of the Eagles with the initial intention of him being the number one receiver on the team until the team traded for Brown during the draft the next season. Hurts had a chance to speak to the media about Smith and the new-look wide receiver room, where he said he believes Smith is "the guy" now.
"There was a time DeVonta was 'the guy' coming in," Hurts said via The Athletic's Zach Berman. "I know everyone has a lot of confidence in him.”
DeVonta Smith's time has come to be the number one receiver on the Eagles
Smith is no slouch of a player, and Eagles fans really know his true potential. Even with Brown in Philly over the last four years, Smith still produced three 1,000-yard seasons in those four years, including 1,008 yards in 2025, which led the team.
This offseason, it has been reported that Smith has been reaching out to other wide receivers as he prepares to be the number one receiver on the team. He has been putting in the work to ensure that he's set up for success and can live up to expectations.
For years, Smith has shown that he can make all the catches and runs some of the cleanest routes in the NFL. He has been able to handle contested passes and off-balance throws, with everyone knowing that if the ball is in Smith's area, he'll make it happen.
Another reason Smith is the number-one receiver is that he's the leader in the wide receiver room. The Eagles added rookie Makai Lemon, Marquise "Hollywood" Brown, Dontayvion Wicks, and Elijah Moore in the offseason, bringing a completely different feel to the group, but Hurts is comfortable with Smith, so the targets will go his way.
Read more: Ian Rapoport dumped cold water on potential Eagles-A.J. Brown trade timeline
Smith has been waiting for this moment for over five years in Philly, and now that he's the top dog in the passing game, he and Hurts are about to show the kind of QB-WR combo Eagles fans have known they could be since the 2021 NFL Draft.
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