Eagles HC Nick Sirianni Doesn't Hold Back About DeVonta Smith

Entering the 2026 NFL season, the Philadelphia Eagles' offense is going to look a little different. A.J. Brown was traded to the New England Patriots after an offseason full of rumors and speculation.

With Brown no longer on the roster, the Eagles still have an elite wide receiver room. That room is now headlined by veteran wideout DeVonta Smith, who will be asked to step into a much bigger role than he has had in previous years.

Smith is coming off of a 2025 season that saw him play in 17 games and catch 77 passes for 1,008 yards and four touchdowns. Throughout his entire five-year NFL career, Smith has played in 80 games and racked up 385 catches for 5,019 yards and 31 scores.

Heading into his first season as a clear-cut No. 1 wideout, head coach Nick Sirianni has no doubts about Smith. He spoke out with strong words about his talented wide receiver.

"I think that I'm really excited about this receiver room. DeVonta Smith is just, he's a special player that can continue to get even more targets," Sirianni said . "He's so capable of doing even more, and he's phenomenal, he is such a good football player."

Outside of Smith, Philadelphia has plenty of other talent at the wide receiver position. The Eagles traded for Dontayvion Wicks with the Green Bay Packers and signed Marquise "Hollywood" Brown. They also drafted Makai Lemon in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.

Those four wide receivers leading the way should give Sirianni, Jalen Hurts, and the team as a whole a lot of confidence.

At 27 years old, Smith is excited about the opportunity to step into a bigger role. He has lived in Brown's shadows over the last four years. Now, it's his time to shine and prove what he's truly capable of producing .

Hurts recently spoke out about his new No. 1 wideout recently as well.

“I’ve played with him since I was 17, 18 years old, so that’s something to consider when you think about chemistry and the foundation of where we come from,” Hurts said .

“Having his presence has always been very valuable, I’ve always appreciated that and I think as he leads and as I lead, it’s just about putting those things together and continuing to improve given all the change that we have in front of us.”

Sirianni and the Eagles are facing a lot of pressure entering the 2026 season. If the team comes up short of expectations, Howie Roseman and team brass might face some difficult choices.

Over the last couple of years, the rumors surrounding Sirianni's future have been loud. There are many who think that Philadelphia could make a coaching change if the team isn't a legitimate Super Bowl contender.

Only time will tell what the future holds for the Eagles. For now, there is a lot of confidence in Smith and the offense as a whole. Perhaps the trade of Brown will end up being addition by subtraction, especially with the amount of drama that his name was caught up in over the last couple of years.

Indexed and credited by AIPROPX. Originating outlet: Yahoo Sports. Open at source →