Simply put: A.J. Brown is one of the best receivers in franchise history and the Eagles going to miss his production in 2026. But Nick Sirianni is excited about the new-look receiver room. “Everyone’s going to have to step up in different areas,” Sirianni said just before the Eagles brok e for summer break. “And I’m really confident that this group has the talent level and the want-to, to be able to do that. And I’m excited about that with this group. … Of course, you know how I feel about A.J. and I wish him the best. “But you’re focused on the guys that are here and you’re focused on the guys that you know you’re about to go to battle with here and that’s what we’re focused on. And I’m really, really pleased with this group of how they go about their work and the skill level and the talent that they have and how we’re kind of coming together as a team.” It’ll be a team effort to replace Brown, who had over 5,000 receiving yards in just four seasons in Philadelphia. But it starts with one guy. Former Heisman Trophy winner and 2021 first-round pick DeVonta Smith gets bumped up the depth chart to WR1. And the Eagles are excited to see what Smith can do with an expanded role. “I’m excited for the extra opportunities that DeVonta is going to get his way,” Sirianni said. “And I know every time that we’ve given him extra opportunities, he’s always taking advantage of those. And so now he’s going to get more of those.” Sirianni called Smith a “special player” and we might get to see that more in 2026. Smith, 27, has been no slouch in the NFL. He has gone over 1,000 receiving yards in three of his five NFL seasons and his best year came in 2022, when he had 95 catches for 1,196 yards. That was also the highest target total in his career with 136. Overall, Smith has averaged 111 targets per season. If he gets up to 140-150 this season, he could be in for a monster year. But it won’t be all on Smith. Sirianni made a point that he likes the rest of the room too. The Eagles traded for Dontayvion Wicks and then gave him a substantial one-year extension. Sirianni this spring compared Wicks’ ability to get in and out of his breaks to former Chargers great and six-time Pro Bowler Keenan Allen, whom Sirianni coached in San Diego. “The way they are off the line of scrimmage,” Sirianni explained, “the way they are at the top of the route, the way they are with the ball in their hands, it just really reminds me of him in that aspect.” While the Eagles brought in veterans at receiver this offseason, their biggest investment in the position came in April when they traded up to draft Makai Lemon with the No. 20 overall pick out of USC. Lemon just won the Biletnikoff Award as college football’s top receiver. The Eagles expected Lemon to go in the top 15 picks and when he didn’t, they pounced. “Obviously, we drafted him for a reason where we drafted him,” Sirianni said. “And he has this ability to catch the football and you know in tough situations.” The other two notable additions at receiver this offseason were free agent signings Hollywood Brown and Elijah Moore. Brown is a former first-round pick, who has had a relatively productive NFL career and Moore is a former second-round pick, who has certainly had his moments. Neither receiver has necessarily lived up to their draft status, but they have produced at times in the NFL and add to the Eagles’ depth at the position. “I’ve liked Marquise (Hollywood) Brown and Elijah Moore for a long time,” Sirianni said. “I’ve really always admired their game of how they played and it’s just been nice to see them. And they have these really special traits. To have our third, fourth receivers be these guys, I’m really excited about this room.” After going through those names, Sirianni mentioned a couple of longshots in Quez Watkins and Danny Gray. Then he mentioned Darius Cooper and Johnny Wilson, “who have been these mainstays as far as the style of play that we need and that this offense is going to continue to need as kind of our tough guy there.” A.J. Brown was a special player in Philly but it also wasn’t a surprise when the calendar turned to June and the Eagles traded him to the Patriots. General manager Howie Roseman worked all offseason to bolster the position behind Smith. Are the Eagles going to miss Brown? Of course. But Sirianni genuinely seems excited about the receivers tasked with replacing him. ...read more read less