It was perhaps the biggest question entering the 2026 season: How would the Eagles’ pass game fare without A.J. Brown?
DeVonta Smith was lauded as a No. 2 option, but it wasn’t a guarantee he’d thrive as a No. 1 wideout. Dontayvion Wicks was a big wild card. Ditto for rookie Makai Lemon. Few had Darius Cooper making the 53-man roster, let alone being a regular contributor.
Through two weeks, this room has been an advantage for Jalen Hurts and the Eagles, not a problem.
The Birds have five receiving touchdowns through two games, which is tied for fifth best in the NFL entering Thursday. Their 467 receiving yards ranks 11th. Smith has the 13th most yards in the league with 170, while Wicks isn’t far behind him with 147 (19th).
Compare that to their production in the run game — Eagles running backs averaged just 3.7 yards per carry in the first two weeks — and you can see how much of a difference the receivers have made.
Wick, in particular, has been a pleasant surprise. The 25-year-old has quickly grown into the ideal No. 2 option, posting 70 or more receiving yards in consecutive games. Last season with the Packers, he only had 70-plus yards one time. Hurts sung his praises in his Thursday press conference.
“I think Tay’s thinking less because this is something that he’s familiar with,” Hurts said. “And then secondly is the time that we spent together to be able to learn each other. The opportunities I’ve had to learn his body language, to get to know the type of player he is. Everything I’ve seen to that point, he’s given me the utmost confidence. We just want to continue to build. … As a collective [the goal], is just to make this our own thing.”
Wicks was an obvious candidate to jell with Sean Mannion’s new offense, given his familiarity with it. Cooper, who scored the game-winning touchdown on Sunday, has been a surprise to outsiders. Not to Hurts, though. The quarterback felt Cooper was primed for a breakout.
“I don’t think there’s any surprise on what type of player he is,” Hurts said. “How he shows up, the character he has and how he works, he’s been able to show up and he’s been willing to do all the things that can help the team be in the best place.
“So, I’m proud of him and excited to see him grow. He’s got an old soul. Sometimes you forget how young in his career he is. He’s going to be great.”
It hasn’t all been perfect. Lemon, for instance, has just nine yards on four receptions, and while he’s shown flashes with his blocking and hustle, it’s no secret the Eagles want more production from their first-round pick.
But with Smith, the top threat in the room, rolling, Lemon can take his time to develop. The former Heisman winner has been a force, coming up clutch on the game-winning drive against Tennessee with 38 yards on four receptions. He finished the game with 117 yards and one touchdown on 10 receptions.
“I think the ball finds guys who get open and win and do things right,” Mannion said. “Smitty’s a tremendous player. He sets a standard for our offense, for our team, in terms of the way he works every day. It’s not an accident.”
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