The Eagles were without two key wide receivers Tuesday, but the early read on both injuries is encouraging.
DeVonta Smith and Makai Lemon sat out practice after suffering hamstring injuries during Monday’s indoor session. The team doesn’t believe either issue is serious, and there’s no long-term concern attached to either player. For now, though, the Eagles are working without two of their top options at receiver.
Both Smith and Lemon were on the sideline watching practice. There’s no timetable for either player’s return, and the Eagles are typically careful with soft-tissue injuries.
That caution matters even more with a rookie like Lemon, because every missed installation day in camp can slow the learning curve. The sooner he gets back, the smoother his adjustment to the offense should be.
Smith already has a major place in the Eagles’ record book. He ranks 10th in franchise history with 5,019 receiving yards, only 15 behind former teammate A.J.
Brown. He’s also the most productive receiver in team history through his first five seasons, topping Mike Quick by 216 yards.
With Brown gone, Smith is expected to take on an even bigger role this year.
Lemon, the No. 20 overall pick out of USC, is also expected to be a significant piece as a rookie, even though his first few practices have been relatively quiet.
With Smith and Lemon unavailable, the Eagles’ receiver group on Tuesday included offseason additions Hollywood Brown, Elijah Moore and Dontayvion Wicks, along with Darius Cooper, Johnny Wilson, Danny Gray and Quez Watkins.
Lane Johnson was also absent for a third straight practice, though the team said his absence was excused and not injury-related.
Other players out Tuesday included rookie guards Micah Morris, who has a shoulder injury, and Jaeden Roberts, who has a calf contusion, plus rookie linebacker Keyshawn James-Newby with an ankle injury and rookie safety Cole Wisniewski with a hamstring injury.
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Markel Bell, the rookie, is the next man up in the mix and appears poised to see a bigger workload while Johnson is away. For an Eagles line that has leaned on stability and continuity, even a short stretch without Johnson changes the feel of the week, especially with no clear explanation yet for why he has been sidelined. [Read more 🡒]
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Moores strong start has given the wideout competition a different shape, because the question now is less about whether he belongs and more about which other player can claim the last opening. Darius Cooper and Johnny Wilson are the names left fighting for that remaining spot alongside Moore and the top four receivers, and with camp still unfolding, the next few practices should carry real weight for both. [Read more 🡒]
Lane Johnson Is Giving Eagles Fans A New Disrespect Debate
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The number likely reflects the time Johnson missed because of a foot injury, but it also underscores how little margin there is in these lists for an offensive lineman who does his best work without the spotlight. Even so, this looks more like a temporary dip than a lasting judgment, and it sets up an interesting watch for 2026 if Johnson comes back healthy and reminds everyone why he has been such a fixture up front for Philadelphia. [Read more 🡒]