PHILADELPHIA — Nick Sirianni spent much of his final press conference ahead of the Eagles’ season opener against the Cowboys harping on the idea of “contribution over credit,” explaining that, in his mind, a player’s value doesn’t hinge on gaudy, eye-popping numbers.
“What the outside world does is they factor in the person’s stats. I’m not interested in that,” Sirianni said. “I’m interested in what everyone needs to do to help this football team win. ... I don’t need your contribution to be 27 catches in two games or whatever.”
Sirianni said all this while wearing a DeVonta Smith t-shirt, which is fitting. Because while Sirianni wasn’t explicitly talking about Smith, he might as well have been.
Smith enters his fifth season as arguably the most underrated wide receiver in the league. Eagles fans appreciate Smith, who caught the dagger that put away the Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX. Teammates and coaches appreciate the talented wideout. Without No. 6, the Eagles wouldn’t have won it all last year.
That appreciation for Smith, though, doesn’t necessarily extend to the “outside world.” Smith is viewed by some as a complementary piece. He’s viewed as a great No. 2 option behind A.J. Brown. Because of his role in the Eagles’ offense, with all of the other playmakers around him, Smith isn’t viewed as one of the premier receivers in the NFL.
“When I see writings about the top receivers in the league and when he’s not a part of that conversation, I say he’s overlooked and undervalued,” Eagles legend and radio broadcaster Mike Quick told PennLive. “Smitty is as talented as any receiver in the league.”
And yet, he’s not talked about that way. In four seasons, Smith has never reached the Pro Bowl while Brown has been named All-Pro three straight seasons. When there was talk this summer around Brown being the NFL’s top receiver, Smith was never mentioned. And when ESPN surveyed executives, coaches and scouts to rank the top 10 players at each position, Smith not only missed out, but he wasn’t even included in the honorable mention section.
Now, there are some damn good receivers across the league. Even beyond Brown, JaMarr Chase and Justin Jefferson, you have Amon-Ra St. Brown, Nico Collins, Tyreek Hill and Garrett Wilson. You have Puka Nacua, Davante Adams, Drake London and Mike Evans. In the NFC East alone, you have CeeDee Lamb, Malik Nabers and Terry McLaurin.
Over the last two seasons, Smith ranks 22nd among wide receivers with 1,899 yards. He ranks 23rd among wideouts with 149 receptions. That’s pretty good. But the underlying numbers tell a different story: that Smith is even better than what the traditional stats suggest.
Super Bowl 59: Philadelphia vs. Kansas City
Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith (6) makes a touchdown past Kansas City cornerback Jaylen Watson (35) during the second half of the NFL Super Bowl 59 football game, Sunday, Feb. 9, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)AP
Last year, Smith ranked third in catch percentage (76.4%) among wide receivers who ran 250 or more routes. Smith’s 0.63 Expected Points Added (EPA) per target ranked fourth out of 42 receivers with 89 or more targets, and his 9.36 yards per target ranked ninth.
All of that is to say that when Jalen Hurts threw the ball Smith’s direction last season, more often than not he caught it and did something special with it. What drags down the perception of Smith is he didn’t always have the chance to make those game-changing plays.
The Eagles turned their 2024 season around by relying on Saquon Barkley and the running game. That’s what took them from a 2-2 start to an unstoppable Super Bowl run. After Week 5, Barkley went nuclear en route to a record-breaking 2,000-yard season. But that meant fewer targets for Smith, who also had to compete with Brown and tight end Dallas Goedert for looks.
Smith was targeted 28 times in the Eagles’ first three games (9.3 targets per game). Over the next 14 games, postseason included, he was targeted 78 times (5.6 targets per game).
“His only limitation, I truly believe, is the amount of opportunities he gets. Because it’s a really good team,” Quick said. “On another team, on a team where you didn’t have all these superstars, he would be the featured guy, catch 20 more balls and do a whole lot more.”
Quick knows how good Smith is. The former Eagles receiver and five-time Pro Bowler has watched Smith’s career unfold from the broadcast booth alongside Merrill Reese. Smith, the 2020 Heisman Trophy winner and national champion at Alabama, came into the league as the No. 10 overall pick in the 2021 draft “polished and ready.” And he’s continued to thrive.
“He’s as polished as a route-runner as anyone I’ve ever seen,” Quick said. “When you watch him operate, he’s a teaching tape every time he’s on the field. You take snippets of what he does and show it to younger people as the way to do things. That’s how technically sound he is as a route-runner. And then oh by the way, he catches everything.”
Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith catches a touchdown pass during an NFL game against the Jacksonville Jaguars
Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith catches a touchdown pass during an NFL game against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024, at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.(AP Photo/Chris Szagola)
Smith has been targeted 429 times since he came into the league. He has just 17 drops. That’s one of many reasons why Hurts and the Eagles trust Smith. His body control is elite. His contested catch rate is among the best in the league. He can take the top off a defense.
Smith is good enough to demand the ball more in the Eagles’ offense. He has shown frustrations at times. But other receivers with his talent would have made incendiary comments about his role or demanded a trade. That’s not how Smith operates.
Asked if he has any personal goals or statistical benchmarks for the 2025 season, Smith was a man of few words: “Just play the game. Everything will take care of itself.”
“I know he wants the ball, and I know he’s going to let everyone know that he wants it,” Quick said with a laugh. “Because he’s a difference-maker, and he knows it. When you’re that good, you know you can make a difference. And you know that if your team needs a play, you have the ability to be that guy. That’s what you deal with when you’re that talented and you’re not always featured.”
Brown labeled Smith “a true professional” whose body of work “speaks for itself.” Hurts said it’s “admirable” how patient he is. Smith’s approach (and, of course, his production) is why the Eagles signed him to a three-year, $75 million contract extension last season.
Smith is compensated as one of the top receivers in the NFL even if his stats don’t always reflect his talent. Howie Roseman values what he brings to the table. Jeffrey Lurie values what he brings to the table. Sirianni values what Smith brings to the table.
Smith might not always get the credit he deserves. But he certainly contributes.
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