Jalen Hurts looked good in his two offensive series against the Pittsburgh Steelers, even with first-round wide receiver DeVonta Smith out with a knee injury. The box score won’t reflect it, but Hurts looked the part of a franchise-level quarterback. He was decisive, generally accurate, and slippery when pressured. He did that without his most talented receiver.
DeVonta Smith returns to practice
It’s a good thing the injury isn’t serious because the Eagles desperately need more offensive weapons if they’re going to keep up with the rest of the league. Jalen Reagor looks to be getting into a bit of a groove after starting camp slowly, and Dallas Goedert is one of the top TEs in the NFL.
Looks like DeVonta Smith’s knee has healed well. pic.twitter.com/vyH7Vv7t2R
— Word On The Birds (@WordOnTheBirds) August 16, 2021
But Smith is a different caliber separator, and he already has a rapport with Hurts from their time together at Alabama. The injury stemming from July 31 took about the projected 2-3 weeks to heal. Smith returned to practice Monday, catching passes from the JUGS machine.
But that wasn’t all. Smith ran routes against air, and by the video, it’s difficult to tell if the knee is bothering him at all. He appeared sharp out there, exhibiting his ability to start and stop quickly.
What DeVonta Smith brings to the offense
Smith is easily the best route runner in the Eagles’ receiving corps, even as a rookie coming off a two-week hiatus from the game. His transitions are seamless, and Holmon Wiggins helped make outstanding pro prospects out of the recent Bama receivers.
Smith doesn’t have the suddenness of Jaylen Waddle or Jerry Jeudy, but he doesn’t need to. Smith is more reminiscent of former LSU Tiger Justin Jefferson. He’s able to bring outstanding speed in and out of route breaks. He’s particularly dangerous in the intermediate areas over the middle of the field.
But that’s not all he brings. Despite his less-than-intimidating size, he’s one of the strongest catch-point receivers from recent years. Yet, what really elevates him above other receivers is his ability after the catch. His vision as a runner is exceptional. This allows Nick Sirianni and Co. to deploy Smith, Reagor, and Quez Watkins behind the line of scrimmage.
Eagles lack size at receiver, but it doesn’t matter
The NFL has changed drastically over the past few seasons. It took the Eagles a few years to realize it, but they seem to have finally come around. Alshon Jeffery and J.J. Arcega-Whiteside were part of the old mold of the outside receiver. Now, all the smaller guys get to play, even out wide.
Speed and ability to separate are king in the modern NFL. A trio of Smith, Reagor, and Watkins make for one of the fastest and most elusive trios in the NFL. Even if Hurts doesn’t show the same decisiveness or accuracy he did in the first preseason game, Philly’s offense should be able to manufacture easy completions with three score-from-anywhere threats at the position.
It’s essential to find the right fits for a quarterback. Hurts, at this point of his career, is more generally accurate than he is pinpoint. That makes separation even more important. Reagor showed a few flashes of that in the first preseason game. There’s no question we’ll see it in droves from Smith.
With Smith’s injury almost fully healed, hopefully we get to see a full quarter of action from Hurts and his top receivers in their preseason matchup against New England on Thursday night. If Hurts can continue this form, Smith could be a great value in fantasy drafts, too.
Dalton Miller is the Lead NFL Analyst for Pro Football Network. To yell at him for his other work on the site, you can find his writing here and his voice and face on Pro Football Network Daily. Follow him on Twitch and Twitter @daltonbmiller.