The Eagles’ search for a new No. 2 receiver may already be pointing in an unexpected direction.
With A.J. Brown no longer on the roster and Sean Mannion’s offense bringing a new look to Philadelphia in 2026, DeVonta Smith is set to remain the clear centerpiece of the passing game.
But the real question has been who steps in beside him. Makai Lemon looked like the obvious answer after the Eagles took him in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, yet that picture has started to shift.
Jimmy Kempski of Philly Voice believes the job belongs to Dontayvion Wicks instead.
"It's pretty clear to me that Wicks is going to be the Eagles' WR2 this year, at least to start the season," Kempski writes. "He and Cooper have both had good camps, but Wicks has more game experience, and he has quickly developed good rapport and timing with Hurts.
And you know what? Let's just call it."
That view puts Wicks ahead of Lemon, who is dealing with a hamstring injury, and also ahead of the other names in the mix. Philadelphia added Hollywood Brown and Elijah Moore in free agency, while Darius Cooper has turned heads in camp as a 2025 undrafted free agent.
Still, Wicks seems to be the one gaining real momentum. His connection with Jalen Hurts has stood out this summer, and the former Packers wideout could be in line for a meaningful role after showing flashes in Green Bay.
Last season, Wicks caught 30 passes for 332 yards and two touchdowns in 14 games on 46 targets. Over his three seasons with the Packers, he was never a major feature of the passing attack.
That could change in Philadelphia. If Kempski’s read on the camp battle holds, Wicks may have already moved into the WR2 spot opposite Smith, at least for now.
The first real look comes Saturday, when the Eagles open the preseason against the Baltimore Ravens in Baltimore. A strong showing there would only strengthen Wicks’ case. For the moment, Philadelphia appears to have three wideouts worth watching closely: Smith, Lemon and Wicks.
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The former Eagles back had been serving an 18-month federal sentence tied to COVID-related fraud, along with a concurrent state sentence for gun possession, when his case took a deeply personal turn. His 8-year-old daughter Mila is now in palliative care with an aggressive kidney cancer diagnosis, a situation that has shifted the focus far from the legal case and onto a family racing against time. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles Suddenly Have A Receiver Decision They Cant Ignore
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Former Eagles Running Back Granted Release Amid Heartbreaking Family Crisis
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He had been serving an 18-month federal sentence tied to COVID-related fraud, along with a concurrent state sentence for gun possession, before the court allowed him to leave. The case also took a procedural turn after a motion to withdraw his guilty plea followed a recent appeals court ruling involving New Jerseys assault weapons ban, adding another layer to an already difficult situation that now centers on his daughters condition. [Read more 🡒]