When Philadelphia traded up to add Alabama wide receiver DeVonta Smith with the 10th selection in the 2021 NFL Draft, the 2020 Heisman Trophy winner was excited about joining former Crimson Tide teammate Jalen Hurts with the Eagles.
Last year, Philadelphia signed Hurts to a contract extension designed to keep the quarterback with the Eagles through at least the 2028 season. On Monday, the NFL team did the same thing with Smith.
More stories on the NFL
“We’re always happy for each other,” Smith said a press conference on Tuesday. “(Hurts) called and congratulated me. With us, it’s always looking forward to the things to come. Like I said, learning a new offense, putting things together that we did very well last year with Kellen (Moore) and putting things that he done very good last year, putting them together and trying to get back ultimately to win a Super Bowl.”
Hurts and Smith are working with a new offensive coordinator in 2024, with Philadelphia adding Moore after he held that position with the Dallas Cowboys from 2019 through 2022 and with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2023.
RELATED: EAGLES TO START 2024 SEASON IN BRAZIL AGAINST PACKERS
Smith and Hurts aren’t the only players who’ve been locked by the Eagles. Nine offensive starters are under contract for at least the next two seasons.
“It means a lot,” Smith said. “Being a team, it starts with your relationship with each other. And I think that’s a big part – having guys that have a good relationship with each other, guys that are familiar with each other so everybody is comfortable pushing each other to the limits that are uncomfortable.”
Philadelphia moved to extend Smith even though he has a season remaining on his rookie contract and the Eagles had an option for the 2025 season on that deal.
But with the cost of top wide receivers headed nowhere but up with 2020 first-rounders Justin Jefferson of the Minnesota Vikings, CeeDee Lamb of the Dallas Cowboys and Brandon Aiyuk of the San Francisco 49ers lining up for their second contracts, Philadelphia moved early on Smith.
Reported as a three-year, $75 million contract extension, Smith’s new deal, including the reworking of his existing contract for the next two seasons, is more like a five-year, $94 million contract, NBC Sports reported. Of that amount, $34 million became guaranteed when Smith signed the contract, including a $20.352 million signing bonus.
“This is what God wanted,” Smith said about signing a contract extension now. “It was presented before me. Thought about, prayed on, and that’s what God put on my heart, so I followed along with it.”
Smith had 81 receptions for 1,066 yards and seven touchdowns in 16 regular-season games in 2023, then caught eight passes for 148 yards in Philadelphia’s 32-9 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first round of the NFC playoffs.
Smith has 240 receptions for 3,178 yards and 19 touchdowns in 50 regular-season games. He also has 27 receptions for 405 yards and one touchdown in five postseason games. Smith has more receptions and more receiving yards than any other Philadelphia player has compiled in his first three seasons in the NFL.
“You can always get better,” Smith said. “There’s no such thing as you’ve reached your peak. You can continue to get better. You can always get better, and so as I continue to go along with my offseason, continue to look at myself, the things I’ve done and the things I need to get better at, we’ll keep doing that.”
FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OUR NFL PAGE
Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.