Makai Lemon can help Eagles' passing game in multiple ways

USC's Makai Lemon will try to follow in the footsteps of Philadelphia Eagles players who have won two Super Bowls in the past decade and have knocked on the door of a championship in other seasons. Eagles Wire noted that Lemon will wear Nick Foles' No. 9 with the blessing of the Super Bowl-winning quarterback. Now let's get into the meaty topic of how Makai Lemon can actually help the Eagles win another Lombardi Trophy.

One thing which stands out about Jalen Hurts' disappointing 2025 NFL season with the Eagles is his yards per attempt average. Hurts averaged just 7.1 yards per pass attempt -- not per completion, but per attempt. That's low. That's not what a modern passing attack should achieve, especially on a team with legitimate Super Bowl aspirations. Hurts completed a 79-yard pass last season and a few other passes over 40 yards, so the 7.1-yard average means the vast majority of his completions did not gain very many yards.

Makai Lemon will need to be a 3rd and 5 option for the Eagles' passing attack, but he will also need to work the middle third of the field and make those 12- and 15-yard intermediate catches in open pockets of the defense. Lemon makes plays anywhere on the field, and like a true big dog, he has to be able and willing to go over the middle and catch the ball before getting hit. If Lemon becomes a middle-third machine who can load up on intermediate-length pass routes, the Hurts average per attempt could climb toward 10 yards, and the Eagles will get a lot more out of their passing game in 2026.

This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: Makai Lemon's task within Eagles' 2026 offense should be clear