Makai Lemon used just four words when asked to sum up his first NFL game.
“Lots to improve on,” Lemon said from his locker room stall Thursday.
He’s not wrong. In the 24-22 win vs. the Washington Commanders last Sunday, the Eagles’ first-round rookie wide receiver caught 3-of-4 targets for minus-5 yards. He did make a key block during Jalen Hurts’ crucial third-and-18 conversion in the fourth quarter, but it’s clear the 22-year-old is kicking himself due to his stat line.
What does Lemon need to improve?
“Route details,” Lemon said. “Just making sure I define my routes and assignments.”
Lemon’s Week 1 showing comes after a forgettable offseason, during which he was injured for most of training camp. When he played in the preseason finale, he recorded just 3 yards on three catches, plus a drop that led to an interception.
Lemon was brief when fielding questions on Thursday, but it’s clear he’s trying to keep a positive mindset.
“Really just playing for my teammates,” Lemon said, when asked for areas where he thought he did well on Sunday. “Blocking, doing things like that, just trying to help the team anywhere I can.”
Despite his slow start, the Eagles remain confident in their rookie. They took a risk when they traded up to take him with the 20th pick of the NFL draft in April — dealing with the rival Cowboys in order to do so — so they’re not hitting the panic button yet.
Lemon was one of college football’s top receivers in 2025, becoming the second Southern Cal player ever to win the Biletnikoff Award for most outstanding receiver in college football. He caught 79 passes for 1,156 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns in his final collegiate season.
On Monday, coach Nick Sirianni said he “trusts” Lemon to improve quickly.
“There’s a lot of things that Makai did in that game that don’t reflect on the stat sheet,” Sirianni said. “We constantly talk about that: What are you doing to help this team win the game, particularly if you’re a skill guy?
“That might not be able to be seen from the stat book or to the naked eye. What he’s always done a good job since he’s been here [is] blocking, doing the right things, being in the right spots. Obviously the ones that went to him [on Sunday] didn’t equal out to a big yardage game, right? But he did little things to help us win the football game that sometimes are unseen.”
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