Let’s get to the Philadelphia Eagles news and links …
NFL players to buy stock in for 2026: Why Justin Herbert, Caleb Downs are set to surge – NFL.com PICK: DeVonta Smith, WR, Philadelphia Eagles. The trade of A.J. Brown alone clears a path for Smith to reach new heights in 2026. As perhaps the league’s best WR2, Smith has posted three 1,000-yard campaigns in his career. He now transitions into life as the team’s No. 1 receiver and Jalen Hurts’ top target, while the Eagles’ entire offense also shifts
to a new scheme under first-year OC Sean Mannion, who is expected to rejuvenate Philly’s stale pass game of yesteryear. The stars are aligning for Smith to put up career numbers and earn his first Pro Bowl nod.
Why DeVonta Smith doesn’t want to hear he’s now Eagles’ No. 1 wide receiver – NBCSP
It’s hard to not be excited and intrigued by the prospect of DeVonta Smith taking over as the Eagles’ WR1. One person who’s not excited or intrigued? DeVonta Smith. “I mean, I’m just going out there and do my job,” he said after OTA practice Tuesday. “Regardless, however you want to look at it, one, two, three, four. End of the day, we all have jobs, and I’ve got to go out there and do it. I’m going to do the same thing I’ve been doing.” Regardless of how Smith is looking at this, with A.J. Brown gone, Smith will indeed assume the role of the Eagles’ No. 1 wide receiver. He held that role in 2021, the year before Brown arrived, and had 64 catches for 916 yards and five touchdowns, but he was a rookie playing under a 1st-year head coach. Smith is now entering his sixth season, and even though he’s got three 1,000-yard seasons under his belt, this is a new role for the 27-year-old former 1st-round pick.
A Word on DeVonta Smith’s Status as Philadelphia Eagles WR1 – Crossing Broad
I see some stuff floating around on the timeline after the A.J. Brown trade. DeVonta Smith is now being declared as the Eagles’ WR1. To be clear, Smitty has always been WR1. In five Eagles seasons, he has 554 targets, 385 receptions, 5,019 yards, and 31 touchdowns. He’s had three 1,000-yard regular seasons. Then you throw in 73 playoff targets, 51 receptions, 665 yards, and two scores, one of which was “The Dagger” that essentially buried the Chiefs in Super Bowl 59. The guy has been making big plays and tough catches for half a decade now in midnight and kelly green. So what’s the gist here? How can DeVonta Smith be WR1 when A.J. Brown was WR1?
Eagles reportedly sign undrafted defensive tackle who intended on playing college football in 2026 – BGN
The Philadelphia Eagles are signing undrafted rookie defensive tackle Zion Wilson, according to a report from Ryan Fowler. Wilson spent five years at East Carolina University before transferring to Virginia earlier this year while seeking an extension of eligibility waiver that would allow him to play college football in 2026. Apparently that didn’t work out for him and he was included in the 2026 NFL Draft, becoming available to sign with any team after going undrafted.
The Eagles’ biggest blockbuster trades this century – PhillyVoice
2009: The Eagles trade first-, fourth-, and sixth-round picks to the Bills for OT Jason Peters. Peters was an undrafted tight end who moved to tackle in the pros. He had a couple of All-Pro seasons for the Bills, but a contract dispute sparked trade talks, and the Eagles pounced. The cost for Peters wasn’t cheap, but the Eagles’ trade for him paid off big-time. Peters started 154 games for the Eagles, and during his prime was one of the best offensive linemen in the NFL, earning six All-Pro nods and nine trips to the Pro Bowl. He’ll likely be in the Hall of Fame.
Why Eagles are willing to wait until 2028 for A.J. Brown trade return – The Athletic
During an interview for the 2024 book “The Franchise: Philadelphia Eagles,” Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie offered different examples of how the Eagles benefited from valuing future picks — including trading down in the 2021 draft to add a future first-round pick, and a 2022 trade with the New Orleans Saints to land a future first- and second-round pick — picks that helped the Eagles secure Jalen Carter and Cooper DeJean. Lurie said an example of a team-building strategy that long resonated with him came in the 1978 NBA Draft when the Boston Celtics drafted Larry Bird, knowing Bird was returning to Indiana State. They waited a year and reaped the reward. In an interview for that same book, Banner explained how the Eagles had viewed the devaluing of future picks as a market efficiency and looked for opportunities to acquire them when available. In April 2004, the Eagles traded A.J. Feeley for a second-round pick — not in the 2004 draft, but one year later in 2005. In 2008, the Eagles traded their first-round pick for a second-round pick, a fourth-round pick and a 2009 first-round pick. With an extra 2009 first-round pick, they were able to acquire Jason Peters.
Is this Eagles rookie an alien? Teammate says he is ‘not of this planet’ – NJ.com
Have the Eagles found an alien? Left tackle Jordan Mailata thinks rookie offensive tackle Markel Bell might be one. “When we found him, they said they found him out of Miami University. That’s a lie. He’s not of this planet,” Mailata said on Tuesday.
Fact or fiction: A look at the ‘Madden curse’ with Williams now on cover – ESPN
Madden 26 cover star: Saquon Barkley. The result: 2025 wasn’t much of a “down year” statistically for Barkley, who still recorded over 1,400 yards from scrimmage and nine total touchdowns — but the star running back didn’t match his supernova production from the season prior, and the defending champion Eagles lost to the San Francisco 49ers in the wild-card round.
Patriots Mailbag: How concerning is A.J. Brown’s injury history? – Pats Pulpit
Brown is coming off a season in which he posted career lows in both yards per route run (1.96) and yards after catch per reception (3.3). The latter number improved slightly during the second half of the season after he returned from a hamstring injury that lingered early in the year. There is also an argument to be made that the decline was influenced by Brown’s usage and effort level as frustration mounted throughout the season. Last season, Brown saw plenty of press coverage as he set a career high with 87.6% of his routes coming from the outside. Meanwhile, 47.7% of his targets came on either hitch routes or go routes. Neither route is designed to generate significant production after the catch. That should change in New England with Drake Maye and Josh McDaniels. Brown will still be a premier outside receiver capable of beating man coverage and winning down the field, but McDaniels is expected to move him around the formation — including into the slot — to create favorable matchups. And unlike Philadelphia, a Maye-led offense will target the middle of the field more frequently and feature a heavier play-action element, two areas where Brown’s usage has declined in recent years. In the end, there is risk that Brown is declining because of his degenerative knee condition and general wear and tear. But a more bought-in Brown, running more routes from the slot and over the middle of the field, could see a resurgence in production — similar to the jump he experienced from his final season in Tennessee to his first year in Philadelphia, when his yards after catch per reception increased from 3.6 to 6.1 — and potentially age more gracefully as a result.
2 Cowboys defensive starters limited for OTAs – Blogging The Boys
The Dallas Cowboys are in the midst of their OTAs out in Frisco, Texas. Two of their most important defenders, cornerback DaRon Bland and edge rusher Donovan Ezeiruaku, are currently rehabbing from injuries. Per Jon Machota of The Athletic, both will be limited during OTAs as the team is being cautious with their alignments.
Mason/Brennan Preseason Hype! Awards: Who has the most hype in early June? – Hogs Haven
Kaytron “Fatman” Allen, RB – 6th round (2026) – Is Fatman this year’s Bill? Can another late-round RB capture the excitement of Washington fans, and actually contribute significantly during the season? That’s what we’re going to find out from Allen who left Penn State as their all-time rushing leader.
Kayvon Thibodeaux trade rumors: Of course he is on the latest ESPN list – Big Blue View
Kayvon Thibodeaux of the New York Giants is on ESPN’s newly-released list of 10 players who could be moved at the 2026 NFL Trade Deadline. Of course. Is it even allowed for an NFL writer discussing trade candidates to create a list that does not include Thibodeaux’s name? It certainly does not seem that way. Thibodeaux has been the subject of trade speculation since April of 2025, when the Giants made Abdul Carter the No. 3 pick in the NFL Draft. Thibodeaux and Carter are both edge defenders, as is Brian Burns. That gives the Giants three players for two spots, both on the field and under the salary cap The thought has long been that Thibodeaux, 25 and able to become a free agent after the 2026 season, is unlikely to get a big-money, long-term deal from the Giants next offseason. Thus, he would opt to look for that in free agency.
NFL fans believe Browns won the Myles Garrett trade – SB Nation
The Cleveland Browns and the Los Angeles Rams sent shockwaves through the NFL on Monday, when they agreed to terms on a trade that sent two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett to the NFC West. While the move may shift the balance of power in the NFC to the Rams, NFL fans believe that the Browns may have just won the trade itself. According to a poll conducted on SB Nation’s NFL Feed, 64% of respondents believe that the Browns won the trade.
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