One of the final remaining questions regarding the Philadelphia Eagles‘ offseason has been solved.
Former Heisman Trophy-winning wide receiver DeVonta Smith and the Eagles have agreed on a three-year contract extension worth up to $75 million with $51 million guaranteed. The move is the latest in recent re-signings that have helped Philadelphia lock up its young core of offensive superstars.
Smith’s extension means far more than just that, though.
DeVonta Smith Is Final Core Piece To Be Re-Signed
Smith’s essential four-year extension with Philadelphia through 2024 is the latest move the Eagles have made to their young offensive core.
That group has been paid handsomely this offseason.
Whether it was Landon Dickerson becoming the highest-paid guard, Jordan Mailata locking in a long-term deal, or a plethora of free agent signings, the Eagles have been consistently aggressive this offseason. In total, Philadelphia has spent over $200 million on long-term extensions this offseason for Smith, Mailata, and Dickerson.
It’s important to note that while the contracts total that amount, the cap hits carried through Dickerson and Mailata are not massive when compared to other players on the team. Dickerson’s cap hit is just over $5 million, while Mailata’s is $10 million.
Smith’s contract details have not been fully finalized, but with the Eagles exercising their fifth-year option on him for next season, his cap hit should be a respectable $6 million. Remember, the former Alabama star is in the fourth year of a five-year rookie contract.
Philadelphia’s extension is put on after his fifth-year option deal.
The major point, though, is that the Eagles’ offense, with just Lane Johnson over the age of 30 in the starting lineup, are all locked up to deals that take them past the 2026 season. Only Dallas Goedert and Cam Jurgens have their contracts run through that season as well.
During the 2010s, the Eagles seemingly hitched their wagon to Jason Kelce, Johnson, Brandon Graham, and Fletcher Cox to take them to their first Super Bowl title in franchise history.
With two of those top players now retired, the Eagles appear comfortable in keeping the core of their top-ranked offense intact for the next few years.
Eagles Stay Ahead of Receiver Market
Outside of the obvious positive takeaway that re-signing a homegrown talent can bring, there’s an even bigger takeaway with Smith’s extension with the Eagles.
With so many great wide receivers in the game today, when these players receive their extensions is so important. For Smith, his contract extension comes before the likes of Ja’Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson, CeeDee Lamb, and Amon-Ra St. Brown have received theirs.
Being ahead of those contracts means that Smith’s new $25 million annual salary will be seen as a steal very soon. At the very least, it allows Philadelphia to keep both Smith and teammate A.J. Brown together for another season.
And with Dickerson, Hurts, Smith, Mailata, and Brown all under contract for the foreseeable future, the Eagles expect to be in the thick of the NFC title race.
KEEP READING: How DeVonta Smith’s Extension Affects Jaylen Waddle