The Eagles are looking to get back on track after their drubbing against the Buccanneers with a win against Cleveland. The difference this week is they have an advantage that’s evaded them the first four weeks, health. The Birds will be back to full strength on offense for the first time since week 1. How does each return impact the team? Here’s a ranking of the Eagles injury returns.
Ranking The Eagles Injury Returns From Great To Great(er)
3. DeVonta Smith
Smith being placed in this spot does not mean his return is minimal. The Slim Reaper has been carrying the weight of the load in the receiving game in the absence of another Eagles receiver to be mentioned later. He’s been a consistent threat at the second level of the offense through his first three games played. Smitty caught seven passes in each of his first three games totaling 239 yards receiving and a touchdown. of course, that isn’t even including his resume over his three-and-a-half-year career with the Eagles so far. The former Heisman Trophy winner broke the Eagles rookie receiving record in a season with 916 yards.
He’s consistently improved since then totaling over 1,000 yards receiving in his next two seasons while catching seven touchdowns each in 2022 and 2023. In case it wasn’t already obvious through this diatribe, the word that best describes Smith is consistency. He may not be the biggest playmaker of the Birds’ skill position players, but he provides stability. He has an elite set of hands with a catch percentage that normally averages around 70% when targeted. Smith coming back will surely be a sigh of relief for quarterback Jalen Hurts. He will have quite an efficient route runner and safety blanket to lean on against the Browns’ defense.
2. Lane Johnson
The Eagles for a long time now have prided themselves as a team that likes to build success in the trenches. That philosophy has landed them many generational talents over the years, including when they captured their first Super Bowl victory in 2017. Johnson is a prime example as to how building in the trenches leads to long-term success. Simply put when he’s not on the field, things get ugly.
Throughout his career, the Eagles boast a 91-54-1 record when Johnson mans the right tackle slot. When he’s not on the field, and that’s rarely, the team’s record drops to 14-23. Their touchdowns as a team dropped from 445 with to 94 without. Their total points drop from 3,809 to 834. Points per game wise, the team goes from 26.1 with to 22.5 without. Johnson is a game changer protecting the blind side and essential to the teams’ success. This is what makes him one of the key Eagles injury returns.
1. A.J. Brown
Remember that other receiver referenced earlier, here he is. If Smith is the consistent and reliable one, Brown is the big-play dominant one. That’s not to shade Smitty, he’s got his fair share of big play ability himself. Brown has just been next level since being traded to Philly though. Brown has enjoyed the best two seasons of his career in Philly, putting up over 1,400 receiving yards in both seasons while putting up 18 touchdowns between 2022 and 2023. He earned Pro Bowl and All-Pro recognition in those two seasons while also receiving MVP and Offensive Player of the Year votes in 2022.
His return is also the most impactful in the sense that he’s been the most absent from the team out of these three. Brown put up another dominant performance against the Packers, going for 119 yards and a 67-yard touchdown. He’s been sidelined with a hamstring injury ever since. Brown hinted at a potential return on Instagram last week but now it has been confirmed. The team has sorely missed their number one receiving threat and getting him back makes this a monumental return.
Main Photo: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
