After months of speculation, the Philadelphia Eagles have locked in a long-term contract extension with one of the best young wide receivers in the NFL, DeVonta Smith. The new contract is said to be worth $75M with $51M in guarantees according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
DeVonta Smith signs a contract extension with the Eagles
The Alabama product was drafted in the first round back in 2021 and has become a staple of the Eagles’ offense. DeVonta Smith actually broke Philly’s rookie receiving record before doubling down and putting up an impressive 1,196 yards in his second season while splitting targets with A.J Brown.
In 2023, the young wideout further build on that foundation, adding another 1,066 yards and 7 touchdowns. He recorded 131 yards in the team’s week 2 win over the Vikings and would break the 100-yard mark once again against the Bills 10 weeks later in a marquee win. In the playoffs, the slim reaper shined once more, ripping up the turf against the Buccaneers for 148 yards in what was otherwise a gut-wrenching loss.
What DeVonta Smith’s new contract means for the Eagles
Extending DeVonta Smith had to be a priority for the Eagles if they were to continue building out their offense. Because he was a first-round pick, his contract did include a fifth-year option, one that had to be exercised by May 2nd of this year. With a draft class featuring the likes of Ja’Marr Chase, Jaylen Waddle, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and Nico Collins, who also are on the fringe of big paydays, it made sense for Howie Roseman to get ahead of the curve before having to overpay.
The new contract sees that fifth-year option exercised as well as giving him another two years on top of that, keeping him in the City of Brotherly Love through 2028. This is a huge move for the Eagles as it now means that Jalen Hurts has both Smitty and Brown by his side for at least another three years.
On top of that, the Eagles have also given new deals to Jordan Mailata and Landon Dickerson, as well as bringing in star RB Saquon Barkley. The offense is not only stacked with star power but is now solidified for the next few years, giving both Hurts and Sirianni a real platform to build on.
This was the last real piece of housekeeping that needed to be taken care of ahead of the NFL Draft and now means Philadelphia can head into the signature event with full flexibility when it comes to investing those coveted draft picks.
AP Photo/Chris Szagola
