The Eagles came into training camp with a big question hanging over the receiver room: who is going to step into the spot left behind by A.J. Brown after his trade to the New England Patriots?
DeVonta Smith remains the top option by body type, but Philadelphia still needs a clear WR2. The names in that mix are Dontayvion Wicks, rookie Makai Lemon and Hollywood Brown, and on Day 2 of camp, one of them made the loudest statement.
NBC Sports Eagles reporter Dave Zangaro pointed to Wicks as the play of the day on Thursday, and the clip gave the Eagles a look at exactly why they believe he can be more than just another depth piece. With the first-team offense going against the third-team defense, Jalen Hurts was forced to move and lofted a deep ball that was a little underthrown. Wicks tracked it down anyway, went up in double coverage against Jakorian Bennett and Cole Wisniewski, and muscled the ball in for a catch about 35-40 yards downfield.
"The play of the day on Thursday came from receiver Dontayvion Wicks.
With the first-team offense facing the third-team defense, Jalen Hurts was on the run and tossed up a deep ball that was slightly underthrown to Wicks, who climbed the ladder to pull it down in double coverage with Jakorian Bennett and Cole Wisniewski in his face. Wicks (6-1, 206) just outmuscled the defenders to make the grab about 35-40 yards down the field.
The Eagles traded for Wicks this offseason, bringing in the veteran from Green Bay, where he was buried a bit on the depth chart. The Eagles then gave him a one-year, $12.5 million extension. The Birds clearly liked Wicks’ potential and we saw some of that on Day 2 of camp."
That kind of grab is exactly why Philadelphia moved for him. Wicks had the talent to matter in Green Bay, but he never fully climbed out of the crowd on that roster. In three NFL seasons, he posted 581 receiving yards as a rookie in 2023 and scored five touchdowns in 2024, both career highs.
Now the Eagles are paying him like a player they expect to use, and that matters. He also arrives with a built-in edge in the system, since he knows new Eagles offensive coordinator Sean Mannion from their Packers days.
The role Philly seems to have in mind is pretty clear. Wicks is the one-on-one target near the goal line, but that training camp rep showed something more: Hurts may be able to push the ball downfield to him too, trusting Wicks to win above the rim and finish the play.
Replacing A.J. Brown won’t be simple. But if Day 2 was any indication, Wicks has already made a strong case to be the guy who gets the first shot at filling that void and building Hurts’ trust as camp rolls on.
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