The Eagles may have found the kind of receiver the Packers could never quite unlock.
Dontayvion Wicks, who spent three seasons in Green Bay without ever fully turning his talent into steady production, now lands in Philadelphia with a much clearer path to volume. In a receiver room that has room to breathe, the 25-year-old looks positioned for the breakout that never really had a chance to happen with the Packers.
Green Bay’s setup worked against him from the start. The Packers kept a crowded rotation at wideout, and Wicks never topped 75 targets in any of his three seasons.
His biggest target share came in 2024, when he reached 16.38 percent. The Packers also leaned on receiver rotation more than most teams, regularly playing at least four wideouts at a high clip.
Even with that limited runway, Wicks flashed real juice after his rookie year. In 2023, he finished second among qualifying rookies with 14.9 yards per reception and fifth with 5.6 yards after the catch per reception. When the ball found him, he looked dangerous, the kind of player who could turn a routine touch into something bigger.
The problem was never just talent. His role never opened up enough for the production to follow. Some inconsistency showed up along the way, but Wicks was never in a situation that gave him a real shot at the kind of season Green Bay seemed to be waiting for.
Philadelphia changes that picture. Wicks enters as the Eagles’ clear No. 2 receiver, at least to start.
DeVonta Smith is still the primary target for Jalen Hurts, and rookie Makai Lemon could eventually pass Wicks, but early on, the former Packers receiver should see plenty of work. In this offense, he’s not buried.
He’s part of the plan.
There’s also a built-in familiarity working in his favor. Eagles offensive coordinator Sean Mannion arrived after spending time on Matt LaFleur’s staff in Green Bay, where he worked closely with Wicks. That connection gives Philadelphia a coach who already knows what the receiver can do and how to tap into it.
Wicks has spent most of his career as a tantalizing piece rather than a dependable one. Now he gets a larger stage, a bigger sample size, and a contract year to work with.
The tools have always been there. The Eagles are giving him the chance to finally show them.
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Smith was back in a helmet and getting in some position work after the hamstring issue that had slowed him, a small but encouraging step for a passing game that still needs its top targets available and sharp. Lemon, meanwhile, stayed out of the full session but kept moving on the side field, running routes and going through the catch circuit as the Eagles continue to monitor a camp picture at wide receiver that is becoming clearer even if it is not settled yet. [Read more 🡒]