DeVonta Smith amazes with his Eagles training camp catches: ‘Nobody has been able to cover DeVonta’

Last season, DeVonta Smith logged over 1,000 receiving yards for a second consecutive campaign. The Eagles receiver was one of just seven leaguewide to rack up at least 1,000 yards, 80 catches, and seven touchdowns in each of the last two years.

Still, through five practices of training camp, A.J. Brown said Smith is capable of reaching another level in 2024. The proof, according to Brown, is in Smith’s performance so far.

“Nobody has been able to cover DeVonta all camp,” Brown said Thursday. “He’s having an amazing camp. I think the offense is doing a really good job, just really trying to execute it. It takes all players. Jalen [Hurts has] been doing a great job as well.

“But I’m expecting Smitty to take another jump, because he definitely has all the tools, and for me, sitting on the side, watching him, I know how hard he works. So it just makes everybody around him better. So that’s what we want.”

Smith, 25, has made his fair share of explosive plays, particularly when lining up against the team’s contenders for the starting outside cornerback job. One of his better days came Saturday, when he pulled off a pair of challenging downfield receptions against Isaiah Rodgers and Kelee Ringo.

On his reception against Rodgers, Smith used his speed to gain just enough separation from the cornerback and haul in a perfectly placed touchdown throw from Hurts. Ringo was on the losing end of a contested catch that a leaping Smith made at the 10-yard line. Smith’s showing through the first week of camp also has drawn praise from his quarterback.

“He looks very quick,” Hurts said. “He’s always been an explosive player, and I think he’s just been patient. He’s been patient; he’s been diligent. He’s always been about the grind and about the work. I’m excited to see him continue to progress. I know the work he puts in, and I know you see how he looks out there. So it’s exciting.”

The new offense under coordinator Kellen Moore is expected to offer a variety of wrinkles compared to previous Eagles offenses come Week 1. Throughout camp, some of those wrinkles involving Smith have become increasingly apparent. For example, nickel cornerback Avonte Maddox said Monday that he has seen Smith line up in the slot more than he used to in the past.

“They’re moving guys around a lot,” Maddox said. “I’m seeing different faces around. Getting a lot more of Smitty, that’s been fun. He’s been having a terrific camp so far.”

Mekhi Becton played exclusively at tackle throughout his four years with the New York Jets, but his immediate future could be at guard with the Eagles.

With Tyler Steen sidelined with an ankle injury since Saturday, Becton has been taking the starting snaps at right guard in his place. He started getting accustomed to the position when he slotted in at left guard during minicamp in Landon Dickerson’s absence. Over the last couple of months, right tackle Lane Johnson has watched Becton “come a long way since the spring.”

“I think he’s all in,” Johnson said. “I think there’s certain plays that really pop off on the film with some of the stuff he can do. His attributes. But for him, it’s all about being comfortable. I think with the new offense, it’s all about communication up front. So as long as he’s doing his assignment and we’re communicating back and forth and, really, all across the line of scrimmage, have as few mental errors as we can and really glue on blocks, and I think we’ll be fine.”

At 6-foot-7, 363 pounds, Becton looms one inch than Dickerson and Steen. Johnson lauded Becton’s length, which featured a 35⅝-inch wingspan coming out of Louisville as a draft prospect (95th percentile among offensive linemen, according to MockDraftable).

Despite his size, Johnson said Becton doesn’t lack speed. He commended Becton’s ability to get to defenders quickly. The more comfortable the rest of the line can make Becton feel, the more confident Johnson expects him to become while playing guard.

“There’s just some things that he does with his size that really pop off on the tape whenever you watch it,” Johnson said. “So extremely big, extremely physical, and for somebody of that height, his ability to bend is exceptional.”

But Johnson hopes the competition at right guard won’t last much longer than the next couple of weeks. As the season opener approaches, Johnson said he wants to get “as many reps as possible” with the starter so that he can get a feel for his style of play, especially in the upcoming joint practice against the New England Patriots on Aug. 13.

Becton’s hulking presence at right guard doesn’t just impact the offensive line. Hurts said a height difference up front generally takes some getting used to, but he didn’t say there are major differences in going from a 6-6 right guard in Steen to a slightly taller one in Becton. Overall, Hurts has been impressed with what Becton has shown in a limited audition for the right guard spot.

“I think Mekhi has stepped in, and he’s done a great job,” Hurts said. “He’s taking the coaching from Coach [Jeff Stoutland]. It’s honestly been like a collaborative thing of everybody just having a good conversation and feeding off of one another and our feedback for one another. And hopefully we can continue to step up there.”