Dontayvion Wicks Trade Deepens Eagles’ Wide Receiver Drama

Oct 19, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Green Bay Packers wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks (13) against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Not long ago, the Philadelphia Eagles were searching for answers at wide receiver — now, they’re navigating a surplus that won’t be simple to trim.

In recent weeks, Philadelphia has made just about every move possible to bolster its receiving corps. Hollywood Brown, the former Kansas City speedster, joined the team in mid-March on a one-year, $6.5 million deal. Just a week later, journeyman Elijah Moore followed, giving A.J. Brown a trusted presence in a room already overdue for changes.

After a flurry of signings, many believed that Philadelphia had done its due diligence. With two new receivers now in play, the total on the roster rose to nine. Then, General Manager Howie Roseman doubled down.

Dontayvion Wicks Joins the Fray

On April 10, news spread across Broad Street that the Eagles had worked to acquire yet another wide receiver.

Dontayvion Wicks, the now-former Green Bay Packer, heads to the City of Brotherly Love in a move that adds to Philadelphia’s increasingly crowded receiving room. In exchange, Green Bay will receive Philadelphia’s 2026 fifth-round and 2027 sixth-round picks. Shortly after the trade, the Eagles signed Wicks to a one-year, $12.5 million extension that will retain his rights until 2027.

Wicks, 24, was selected by the Packers in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft. Across his three-year professional career, he has logged 108 receptions for 1,328 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns in 46 games played. However, as Wicks’ time in the NFL increased, his production dropped.

In his rookie season, Wicks logged career highs in both receptions (39) and receiving yards (581). This apparent upward trajectory, however, quickly began to plateau and drop. In 2024, he grabbed 39 receptions for 415 yards. Then in 2025, he recorded 30 receptions for 332 yards. That downward trend, paired with Green Bay’s general receiving woes, raised questions regarding his consistency at the professional level. Now, he looks to shift the narrative and revive his numbers in Philadelphia.

Wicks Reunites with Sean Mannion

Fortunately for Wicks, a familiar face in newfound offensive coordinator Sean Mannion will join him in midnight green.

During the two’s time in Green Bay, Mannion served as an offensive assistant and quarterbacks coach while Wicks was on the roster. As a relatively new coach himself, Mannion was still carving out his role and establishing credibility within the building. Wicks, simultaneously, was working to validate his place in an organization that had a recent track record of receiving troubles. In many ways, both were developing at the same time, as they looked to prove that they belonged at the professional level.

As the years passed, Mannion’s coaching style began to draw attention, while Wicks continued to fight for his own role within Green Bay’s offense. Then, with interviews and rumors in the rearview mirror, Mannion found himself as the Philadelphia Eagles’ new offensive coordinator. Just weeks later, Wicks, in a trade widely unexpected, followed him to Philadelphia, reuniting him with an offensive mind that now has the tools to revitalize his career.

Wicks’ Impact on the Depth Chart

With the Eagles’ former third option, Jahan Dotson, now an Atlanta Falcon, the WR3 spot is wide open for competition.

Hollywood Brown, one of Philadelphia’s most recent acquisitions, was the apparent front-runner for the job before Wicks’ relocation. However, with yet another wide receiver now in the mix, Brown now faces an uphill battle for snaps.

Wicks enters the WR3 competition with several advantages, giving him the potential edge. Upon his trade to Philadelphia, Wicks was given an extension, locking him in for two seasons, compared to Brown’s one. Furthermore, age favors Wicks, as he is 24 while Brown is nearing 30. Pair both of those factors with a pre-established relationship with the team’s new playcaller, and all signs indicate that Wicks may be more in line with the team’s long-term plan.

While the A.J. Brown saga will likely take the spotlight as training camp approaches, the competition behind him is still something worth monitoring. What once looked like a solidified depth chart has been brought back into question, with the Eagles once again searching for answers in their wide receiver room. For now, Wicks and Brown will duke it out in an intense battle for WR3 reps—though the winner may find that it won’t be that way for long.

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