Devonta Smith

NFC East Notes: Eagles, CBs, Smith, Giants, Draft, Cowboys, McCarthy

April 25th, 2024 at 2:13pm CST by Sam Robinson

Buzz earlier this week pointed to the Eagles making a trade-up effort ahead of Round 1. More is coming out on another potential Philly climb up the first-round board. The Eagles, who have traded up in four of the past five first rounds, are making an aggressive effort to try and move up the board, Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz tweets. Going further here, Fox Sports’ Ralph Vacchiano notes the Eagles are “frantically” trying to trade up, listing cornerback as the most likely target. The Eagles hold the No. 22 overall pick.

The Eagles have not chosen a corner in Round 1 since 2002 (Lito Sheppard), but the team has two 30-somethings (Darius Slay, James Bradberry) in place as starters and certainly struggled down the stretch last season. Tackle has come up as a potential Philly target as well, and while this is a good draft to add help here, the team’s trend of ahead-of-the-curve O-line moves will need to be weighed against a more pressing need in coverage.

Here is the latest from the NFC East, moving first to the Giants’ draft approach:

If the Giants want to trade up for a quarterback, they might need to target the Cardinals at No. 4. Barring a big offer, the Patriots are expected to stay at 3 and draft Drake Maye. The North Carolina passer has been mentioned frequently as a Giants trade-up target, potentially putting New York to the test (re: J.J. McCarthy) or leading to the team standing down and selecting a wideout at 6. The Giants should be expected to send the Patriots an offer, according to Vacchiano, but they appear less likely to trade up from No. 6 compared to where they stood a few weeks ago. If the Giants stay at 6, they are viewed as interested in adding a top-flight wideout — likely Marvin Harrison Jr. or Malik Nabers — though things could get quite interesting if McCarthy remains on the board.
The Cowboys may want someone to target their No. 24 pick in a trade-up maneuver, per the Dallas Morning News’ David Moore, who writes, adding the team does not have 24 first-round grades on players in this class. Dallas has a clear need on its offensive line, not doing much (besides re-signing swing tackle Chuma Edoga) as Tyron Smith and Tyler Biadasz exited in free agency. Center and either LT or LG are needs, depending on where the Cowboys see Tyler Smith lining up. Impressing at both tackle and guard, Tyler Smith gives the Cowboys options. This is a loaded tackle draft, however, and value may well line up with the Cowboys’ needs.
Staying on the subject of the Cowboys, Mike McCarthy made an interesting move this week. The rare coach set to go into a lame-duck year, McCarthy hired agent Don Yee, per ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter. Yee represents the likes of Sean Payton and Jim Harbaugh, two of the NFL’s highest-paid coaches, and will bring an interesting wrinkle to a Dallas equation involving a coach on a hot seat despite three straight 12-5 seasons.
DeVonta Smith‘s three-year, $75MM Eagles deal includes four void years, which will keep the extension’s cap hits manageable in the near future. Smith is tied to cap numbers of $8.1MM, $7.5MM and $10.7MM over the next three years. Void-year proponents, the Eagles would face a big dead money hit ($35.8MM) if Smith is unsigned by March 2029. For the foreseeable future, however, Philly has the 2021 first-round pick tied to a deal that will not affect its cap sheets too much.

2025 NFL Fifth-Year Option Tracker

April 24th, 2024 at 10:57pm CST by Sam Robinson

NFL teams have until May 2 to officially pick up fifth-year options on 2021 first-rounders. The 2020 CBA revamped the option structure and made them fully guaranteed, rather than guaranteed for injury only. Meanwhile, fifth-year option salaries are now determined by a blend of the player’s position, initial draft placement and performance- and usage-based benchmarks:

Two-time Pro Bowlers (excluding alternates) will earn the same as their position’s franchise tag
One-time Pro Bowlers will earn the equivalent of the transition tag
Players who achieve any of the following will receive the average of the third-20th-highest salaries at their position:
- At least a 75% snap rate in two of their first three seasons
- A 75% snap average across all three seasons
- At least 50% in each of first three seasons
Players who do not hit any of those benchmarks will receive the average of the third-25th top salaries at their position

With the deadline looming, we will use the space below to track all the option decisions from around the league:

QB Trevor Lawrence, Jaguars ($25.66MM): Exercised
QB Zach Wilson, Broncos* ($22.41MM): Declined
QB Trey Lance, Cowboys** ($22.41MM): Declined
TE Kyle Pitts, Falcons ($10.88MM): Exercised
WR Ja’Marr Chase, Bengals ($21.82MM): Exercised
WR Jaylen Waddle, Dolphins ($15.59MM): Exercised
T Penei Sewell, Lions ($19MM): Extended through 2029
CB Jaycee Horn, Panthers ($12.47MM): Exercised
CB Patrick Surtain, Broncos ($19.82MM): Exercised
WR DeVonta Smith, Eagles ($15.59MM): Extended through 2028
QB Justin Fields, Steelers*** ($25.66MM): Declined
DE Micah Parsons, Cowboys ($21.32MM): Exercised
T Rashawn Slater, Chargers ($19MM): Exercised
OL Alijah Vera-Tucker, Jets ($13.31MM): Exercised
QB Mac Jones, Jaguars**** ($25.66MM): Declined
LB Zaven Collins, Cardinals ($13.25MM): Declined
T Alex Leatherwood, Raiders: N/A
LB Jaelan Phillips, Dolphins ($13.3MM): Exercised
LB Jamin Davis, Commanders ($14.48MM): Declined
WR Kadarius Toney, Chiefs***** ($14.35MM): Declined
DE Kwity Paye, Colts ($13.4MM): Exercised
CB Caleb Farley, Titans ($12.47MM): Declined
T Christian Darrisaw, Vikings ($16MM): Exercised
RB Najee Harris, Steelers ($6.79MM): Declined
RB Travis Etienne, Jaguars ($6.14MM): Exercised
CB Greg Newsome, Browns ($13.38MM): To be exercised
WR Rashod Bateman, Ravens ($14.35MM): N/A; extended through 2026
DE Payton Turner, Saints ($13.39MM): Declined
CB Eric Stokes, Packers ($12.47MM): Declined
DE Greg Rousseau, Bills ($13.39MM): Exercised
LB Odafe Oweh, Ravens ($13.25MM): Exercised
LB Joe Tryon-Shoyinka, Buccaneers ($13.25MM): Declined

* = Jets traded Wilson on April 22, 2024
** = 49ers traded Lance on August 25, 2023
*** = Bears traded Fields on March 16, 2024
**** = Patriots traded Jones on March 10, 2024
***** = Giants traded Toney on October 27, 2022

Eagles, DeVonta Smith Agree To Extension

April 15th, 2024 at 10:06pm CST by Adam La Rose

A recent report indicated the Eagles were nearing an agreement with DeVonta Smith, and the parties have indeed worked out an extension. The fourth-year receiver has a lucrative second contract in place.

Smith has landed a three-year, $75MM extension, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. He adds that the pact – which the team has since announced – includes $51MM guaranteed. Smith will now be under contract through 2028 as a result of this agreement, the first agreed to with a former first-rounder still under team control for two more years.

This deal includes $38.1MM guaranteed at signing, with Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio indicating the Eagles are giving Smith a $20.4MM signing bonus and guaranteeing his 2024 and ’25 base salaries ($1.1MM, $1.2MM). A 2025 option bonus worth $11.4MM represents the other chunk of the at-signing sum. The Eagles are also sweetening the pot via a year-out guarantee for 2026. Smith’s 2026 base ($13.3MM) becomes fully guaranteed in March 2025, per Florio, giving the slender wideout a practical guarantee of $51.4MM.

The 25-year-old’s fifth-year option (valued at $15.59MM) has been exercised, Rapoport notes. That comes as no surprise, but the fact that decision would have left the Eagles with plenty of time to negotiate meant the team did not face much urgency with respect to hammering out an agreement. In spite of that, optimism was high as of last week that a pact could be worked out in short order. That has proven to be the case, and a key member of Philadelphia’s offense is now on the books for the foreseeable future.

The Eagles, of course, have a number of lucrative deals already in place on offense. That group (which features the likes of quarterback Jalen Hurts, guard Landon Dickerson and left tackle Jordan Mailata) also includes wideout A.J. Brown. The latter has operated as Philadelphia’s No. 1 wideout since his arrival, which was accompanied by a four-year, $100MM deal. Smith’s extension carries an identical annual average value – and, when factoring in the fifth-year option, he is in line to receive just over $90MM from 2025-28.

While Smith has not matched Brown’s production to date, the former Heisman winner has been a key cog in the Eagles’ passing attack. He also profiles as one of the ascending receivers due to land massive extensions in the immediate future, and Philadelphia has gotten ahead of teams like the Vikings (Justin Jefferson), Cowboys (CeeDee Lamb), Bengals (Tee Higgins) and 49ers (Brandon Aiyuk) in working out the next big-money deal at the position. For now, Smith will move into a tie for fourth in the league in terms of AAV amongst receivers. Each of the other four pass-catchers are due new deals soon, though, and they could surpass that figure as the cap continues to rise.

Smith had a strong season as a rookie, recording 916 yards and five touchdowns. Brown’s arrival did not lead to a drop-off in production for the Alabama product; rather, Smith has taken a step forward with 95- and 81-catch campaigns over the past two years. He has posted over 1,000 yards in both cases, scoring seven touchdowns each time. After facing concerns about his frame entering the league, Smith has missed just one game to date.

The 2024 season will see Kellen Moore take over as the Eagles’ offensive coordinator. Philadelphia’s offense took a step back during the team’s late-season collapse, and a rebound in efficiency would help avoid a repeat of those struggles. Smith will be a central figure in that effort, and his ability to remain a productive complement to Brown will go a long way in determining the effectiveness of this lucrative commitment.

Eagles, DeVonta Smith Discussing Extension

April 10th, 2024 at 10:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

Extending A.J. Brown upon trading for him during the 2022 draft, the Eagles paired that contract with DeVonta Smith‘s rookie deal for two seasons. Philadelphia now appears prepared to have two highly paid receivers.

The Eagles have begun extension discussions with Smith, ESPN.com’s Tim McManus reports. This could be challenging, as the team has Jalen Hurts on a top-market QB deal as well. The team also recently re-upped Landon Dickerson on a guard-record pact and reached a third contract agreement with Jordan Mailata, pairing with Lane Johnson‘s deal — one that leads the right tackle market.

But Smith has become a key performer for an Eagles team that had struggled with homegrown receiver investments prior to the 2021 draft, helping lead to the Brown trade. While the Eagles have time with Smith — thanks to the fifth-year option — they have been proactive with other players on the extension front. Optimism exists a deal will be completed in the near future, McManus adds.

Philly’s cap sheet makes Smith extension talks fascinating. The team has been good at managing its payroll, with restructures and void years regularly coming into play to help Howie Roseman‘s club afford some of the high-priced talent brought in. But this many upper-crust deals on one offense would be an interesting NFL roster-building chapter.

Even with their bevy of high-end contracts on offense — Dallas Goedert‘s and Saquon Barkley‘s included — the Eagles sit fourth in the NFL in cap space, holding just more than $30MM. The team packed in seven void years on Hurts’ deal, keeping the cap hits at a manageable level in the near future. The QB is only attached to $13.5MM and $21.7MM cap numbers in 2024 and ’25. That stands to help the Eagles afford some of their recent extensions. But teams do not make a habit of rolling out two big-ticket receiver deals, and what the Eagles would be aiming to do would surpass where the Chargers and Buccaneers have gone recently. A Smith extension now would also break new ground due to the terms of his rookie contract.

Since the 2011 CBA introduced the fifth-year option, 10 offseasons have brought May deadlines attached to first-rounders’ contracts. In that span, no team has authorized an extension for a rookie-deal wide receiver with two seasons of club control remaining. Through the option, the Eagles can keep Smith on his rookie contract through 2025. That buys them some time, leverage-wise, and the likes of Justin Jefferson and CeeDee Lamb played four seasons on their rookie deals. Because Jefferson and Lamb did so, the receiver market looks set for another spike.

Both players are going into their fifth-year option seasons, and each is in position to break Tyreek Hill‘s receiver AAV record ($30MM). Each could do so by a notable margin as well. With Ja’Marr Chase ticketed for a record-setting deal in 2025 (in all likelihood), the Eagles — who have been early on extensions for O-linemen and QBs, with Carson Wentz being re-upped ahead of Year 4 back in 2019, under Roseman — may be motivated to strike early here.

Smith, 25, does not have a case to land a record-setting contract. Although the slender Eagles pass catcher has put together back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons, he is not the No. 1 receiver on his own team. Brown broke a longstanding Eagles single-season receiving yards record in 2022; he is attached to a $25MM-per-year extension. The Brown-Smith tandem has crossed the 1,000-1,000 barrier in each of its two seasons together.

With the salary cap ballooning at a record rate this year, though, players are cashing in. This represents good news for this wideout crop, though it will be interesting to see where the Eagles are comfortable going for the 2020 Heisman winner.

Eagles WR DeVonta Smith Suffers High Ankle Sprain

January 1st, 2024 at 4:40pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Eagles’ chances of winning the NFC East were dealt a major blow on Sunday when they suffered an upset loss to the Cardinals. Philadelphia also has a notable injury situation to monitor ahead of Week 18 and the start of the postseason.

Wideout DeVonta Smith was in a walking boot when exiting yesterday’s game while dealing with what was initially determined as a high ankle sprain. While confirming the nature of the injury, head coach Nick Sirianni also said Smith is still wearing a walking boot and using crutches. No firm declarations have been made either way with respect to his game status, but that development certainly does not bode well.

Unless the Cowboys fail to beat the Commanders during the final day of regular season play, the Eagles will be locked into the fifth seed in the NFC playoff bracket. As a result, Sirianni admitted decisions will need to be made regarding whether or not the team’s starters should be rested. Smith’s central nature to the Eagles’ passing attack qualifies him as a key player for their playoff matchup, so a cautious approach would come as little surprise.

Still, missing the former Heisman winner would deal a blow to Philadelphia’s offense in the event the team opted to play its starters against the Giants on Sunday. Smith has had another impressive season working in tandem with A.J. Brown, posting a strong statline (81-1,066-7). New career highs in yards and touchdowns could be within reach if he were to play, but Sirianni said “we’ll see” when asked about the 25-year-old’s ability to suit up (h/t Ralph Vacchiano of Fox Sports).

A win over New York would keep Philadelphia in contention for the No. 2 seed in the conference; it would also help generate momentum heading into the postseason for a team which has lost four of its last five games. The defending NFC champions have experienced signficant issues on the defensive side of the ball in recent weeks in particular, but their offense would be notably shorthanded in the postseason if Smith were unable to play. His status will be worth watching over the coming days.

DeVonta Smith Expected To Be Giants Draftee In 2021

February 9th, 2023 at 9:39am CST by Sam Robinson

Pre-draft rumors played a significant role in three NFC East franchises’ decisions during the 2021 first round. The Cowboys ended up helping the Eagles move up for DeVonta Smith, sliding back from No. 10 to No. 12 (where Micah Parsons awaited).

The Giants’ interest in the Alabama wide receiver was going to lead to a draft choice. A post-draft report indicated as such, with the Eagles move to outflank their rivals throwing the Giants’ draft off axis for a bit. Coming off a dominant senior season that produced a Heisman Trophy, Smith expected to be a Giant.

“I knew it was going to be New York,” Smith said, via the New York Post’s Ryan Dunleavy. “If Philly didn’t trade up, I was going to be in New York. It was kind of a no-brainer. People on the coaching staff were on the coaching staff at Alabama when I was there or getting recruited, so that’s how I knew it.”

Joe Judge had spent time on Nick Saban‘s staff, though that came well before Smith’s Tuscaloosa arrival, though Dunleavy notes then-Giants staffers Burton Burns, Rob Sale, Jeremy Pruitt and others had worked for Alabama previously. Although the Giants had doled out an $18MM-per-year contract to Kenny Golladay in March 2021, they were prepared to add Smith.

The Eagles moving up led their rivals to trade down — via the Bears’ climb up to take Justin Fields at No. 11 — and select less proven prospect Kadarius Toney. The Florida wideout came with some red flags, and the current Giants staff’s concerns led to a quick give-up maneuver. The Giants collected a conditional third and a sixth-rounder for Toney, whose latest injury leaves him tentatively on track to face Smith’s Eagles in Super Bowl LVII. Injuries and off-field concerns prompted the pre-deadline swap. Golladay will soon be a cap casualty, having been demoted early in Brian Daboll‘s tenure, while Darius Slayton and Sterling Shepard are on track for free agency. Less than two years after the Smith near-miss, the Giants are close to square one at wide receiver. They are planning to pursue free agents at the position this year and will likely be in the market for another college prospect.

Smith took a step forward in his second season, catching 95 passes for 1,196 yards and seven touchdowns. Despite his slender frame, Smith has not missed a game yet as a pro. The Eagles have the second-year playmaker under contract through 2024, and it represents a good bet the deal will extend through 2025 via the fifth-year option. Smith’s rookie contract pairs with A.J. Brown‘s $25MM-per-year extension. These moves transformed an Eagles position group previously weakened by veteran injuries and draft misses on Jalen Reagor and JJ Arcega-Whiteside.

Alamaba WR Jameson Williams Declares For Draft

January 13th, 2022 at 10:08pm CST by Ely Allen

Jameson Williams is going pro. The junior wide receiver made the announcement on his Instagram account early this afternoon, joining Evan Neal as the second Crimson Tide underclassman so far to declare for the 2022 NFL Draft.

Williams leaves the ranks of college football having lost two consecutive national championship games: one as a Buckeye in the 2020 season and one as a member of the Crimson Tide this year. Williams initially signed with Ohio State in 2019 but was starved for targets behind fellow first-round hopefuls Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson.

The change of scenery was a smart move for Williams as he went on the have the second-best receiving season for an Alabama receiver since Amari Cooper, behind only Heisman Trophy winner Devonta Smith. Williams finished fifth in the nation with 1,572 receiving yards and tied for third in the nation with 15 receiving touchdowns. Williams has length and speed to dominate at the next level.

There is a bit of a hurdle for Williams as he tore his ACL in the Tide’s National Championship Game versus Georgia. The injury rang a familiar unpleasant tone with Alabama fans as they saw a similarly timed injury sideline their number-two receiver John Metchie III in the team’s SEC Championship Game against Georgia.

Williams was projected as an extremely high draft pick before the injury. While the potential threat of having to sit out his entire rookie season won’t do anything to help the 20-year old’s draft stock, whichever team takes a chance on Williams will have a do-it-all receiver who can win the jump balls, go deep, and return kicks. We shouldn’t be waiting too long to hear his name.

NFC East Notes: Parsons, McAdoo, Giants

December 1st, 2021 at 10:06pm CST by Ben Levine

The Cowboys are more than happy that they landed on linebacker Micah Parsons with the 12th-overall pick in this year’s draft. Parsons has started each of his 11 games for Dallas, collecting 67 tackles, nine sacks, and two forced fumbles, and he’s the runaway favorite to win Defensive Rookie of the Year. However, if the Cowboys had had their way, they would have used their selection on a cornerback.

As Jon Machota of The Athletic writes, the team’s “original plan” was to select either South Carolina’s Jaycee Horn or Alabama’s Patrick Surtain II. However, those cornerbacks were scooped up at No. 8 and No. 9 respectively, forcing the front office to pivot. They ended up landing on the Penn State linebacker (after trading down), and the organization couldn’t be happier with how it all turned out.

Parsons explained to Machota how he continues to improve throughout his first season in the NFL.

“People always talk about the rookie wall,” Parsons said, “but I just keep climbing and climbing because I’m excited to see what’s on the other side of that wall.

“I love what we have here. I’m just so honored and blessed to represent the star and have an opportunity to be a star here.”

Some more notes out of the NFC East…

The Cowboys are dealing with COVID-19 cases throughout their staff, so they’ll be temporarily promoting Ben McAdoo to a coaching role, tweets NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. McAdoo, who had been serving as a “consultant to the coaches” in Dallas, will be in the coaches booth for tomorrow’s game against the Saints. The 44-year-old spent two years as the Giants head coach between 2016 and 2017, and he returned to the NFL last season when he was hired as the Jaguars QBs coach.
Guess who else liked Horn and Surtain? The Giants, according to Paul Schwartz of the New York Post, but the Eagles’ decision to trade up (with the Cowboys, no less) to select wideout DeVonta Smith was the move that really threw New York’s draft into disarray. With the organization’s targets off the board, the team ultimately decided to trade with the Bears, with the Giants selecting wideout Kadarius Toney at No. 20.
Another Cowboys/Giants connection: Ralph Vacchiano of SNY.tv writes that the Joe Judge/Jason Garrett pairing in New York was always an “arranged marriage.” Co-owner John Mara was the one who pushed to add Garrett as the team’s offensive coordinator, and the former Cowboys head coach was an “outlier” on a staff that generally had connections to their head coach. Garrett was ultimately canned by Judge and the Giants in late November after the team had collected a league-low 42 touchdowns.
Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports opines that the Giants should go all out on Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson this offseason. The writer cites the organization’s draft capital (which, at the moment, includes picks No. 6 and No. 7), Daniel Jones‘ disappointment in New York, and Wilson’s supposed desire to play in the Big Apple. Assuming GM Dave Gettleman is out after the season, this would be a bold way for a new GM to begin their tenure, but the writer believes this would be preferable to rolling with Jones or drafting a quarterback in a weak class.

Eagles’ DeVonta Smith Week-To-Week

August 2nd, 2021 at 9:38am CST by Zachary Links

The Eagles have listed wide receiver DeVonta Smith as week-t0-week with a knee sprain. However, (Twitter link) NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport hears that it’s just a minor sprain, which means that Smith should only be out for a couple of weeks.

[Poll: Which Rookie WR Will Finish With Most Receiving Yards?]

The first-round pick is set to reunite quarterback Jalen Hurts, his old college pal at Alabama. The stage is set for a big rookie year — the Heisman trophy winner may stand as the Birds’ top outside option as he joins Jalen Reagor, Travis Fulgham, and Greg Ward Jr. on the depth chart. Fortunately, he should be good to go in time for the season opener against the Falcons on September 12.

Smith broke onto the scene following a standout junior campaign, but he took it to another level in 2020. The wideout finished the year with 24 touchdowns, 1,862 yards from scrimmage, and the aforementioned Heisman (plus many more awards). He was universally viewed as one of the three best WRs in this year’s class — somewhere behind Ja’Marr Chase and neck-and-neck with teammate Jaylen Waddle. While those two were taken ahead of Smith, the Eagles rook offers plenty of upside thanks to his soft hands, intangibles, and ability to win 50/50 balls.

Poll: Which Rookie Wide Receiver Will Finish With Most Receiving Yards?

July 18th, 2021 at 6:52pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

This past week we asked you which rookie running back would finish with the most yards in 2021, and now we’re turning our attention to the wide receivers. This year’s wideout class was a great one, with three going in the top ten picks.

Two more then went later in the first round, and then five were off the board in the second. The crop included reigning Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith, and LSU star Ja’Marr Chase who was reunited in Cincinnati with college teammate Joe Burrow.

Chase became the first receiver off the board when the Bengals nabbed him with the fifth overall pick. He should already have great chemistry with Burrow, so he’s got that working in his favor. Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd are still there, but the team moving on from A.J. Green this offseason means Chase should see plenty of opportunity right away. Will his rapport with Burrow and a potentially improved Cincy O-line be enough for him to seize the rookie receiving title?

The following pick, the Dolphins took Jaylen Waddle from Alabama at number six. Waddle is also reconnecting with an old college quarterback as he’ll re-team with Tua Tagovailoa in Miami. His blazing fast speed gives him plenty of upside, although working against him is the fact that he missed a good chunk of the 2020 season due to injury. Will Fuller will have to sit out the first game of the 2021 season with a suspension, but DeVante Parker and Mike Gesicki will also be competing for targets.

Smith *also* is getting paired back up with a familiar face under center. The Heisman winner played with Eagles second-year quarterback Jalen Hurts at Alabama. Despite winning the award for best college football player in the country, Smith was the third wideout taken. Will he use that as added motivation and come out with a chip on his shoulder? He certainly shouldn’t struggle for playing time with Philly’s receiving depth chart being thin as ever. Jalen Reagor, Travis Fulgham, and Greg Ward Jr. are all he has to compete with.

The other two first-rounders were Kadarius Toney from Florida to the Giants at 20 and Rashod Bateman from Minnesota to the Ravens at 27. Toney surprised New York by skipping OTAs and apparently might begin the year in a gadget role as he’s buried behind Sterling Shepard, Kenny Golladay, Darius Slayton, and Evan Engram in the pecking order, so he’s got his work cut out for him. Bateman has a path to a breakout with Baltimore in desperate need of receiving help, but the Ravens’ passing game is going to be a wild card.

Elijah Moore was the next big name, with the Ole Miss product going to the Jets at 34. He’s also got upside, but has a few guys ahead of him and will have a rookie quarterback throwing to him. Rondale Moore (Purdue) to the Cardinals at 49, D’Wayne Eskridge (Western Michigan) to the Seahawks at 56, Tutu Atwell (Louisville) to the Rams at 57, and Terrace Marshall Jr. (LSU) to the Panthers at 59 round out the rest of the round two receivers.

So, what do you think? Which receiver will rack up the most yards in 2021? Who are the later-round candidates or UDFAs who can join these players as early contributors? Vote in PFR’s latest poll and weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section.

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