Winners and losers from Eagles’ draft: Jalen Hurts and a playmaker who could be cut

Wide receiver DeVonta Smith

Smith is expected to break out in Mannion’s system as the No. 1 wide receiver. Mannion could use him in motion and expand his route tree to take advantage of his skill set. He could have a dominant year, surpassing his career highs of 95 catches, 1,196 yards and seven touchdowns in 2022. Lemon and Stowers could draw attention away from Smith, which would help him get easier matchups and put up bigger numbers.

Quarterback Jalen Hurts

The Eagles have surrounded Hurts with a talented supporting cast. He could take the next step as a passer in Mannion’s scheme.

Safeties Marcus Epps and Michael Carter II

The Eagles didn’t draft a safety. For now, Epps and Carter II have a legitimate shot at winning the starting safety job.

Losers

Edge rusher Nolan Smith

The addition of Vikings edge rusher Jonathan Greenard is bad news for Nolan Smith’s contract prospects with the Eagles. The Eagles gave Greenard a four-year, $150 million extension. At this point, it seems unlikely that the Eagles would give Greenard a massive contract and later give Smith a big deal of his own.

On the Eagles’ contract extension priority list, Smith ranks behind cornerbacks Cooper DeJean and Quinyon Mitchell and defensive tackle Jalen Carter, and could slip further if other young players continue to emerge.

Smith has played well in spurts. The Eagles must decide whether to exercise his fifth-year option by May 1; if they decline, he would become a free agent next offseason.

Eagles backup Andy Dalton or Tanner McKee

The Eagles drafted North Dakota State quarterback Cole Payton in the fifth round. He’s now the third backup quarterback on Philadelphia’s roster.

Philadelphia probably won’t waive Payton unless he struggles this summer. Philadelphia would have to trade backup QB Tanner McKee or release third-string QB Andy Dalton to make room for Payton on the 53-man roster. The latter seems more likely. The Eagles traded for the 38-year-old Dalton this offseason, but they could easily get him back on the practice squad.

Wide receiver Marquise ‘Hollywood’ Brown

Brown could have started if the Eagles hadn’t drafted a receiver with a premium pick. Now, he will serve as the fourth wide receiver behind Smith, Lemon, and Dontayvion Wicks. The veteran free-agent addition could struggle to carve out a role in the passing game. With two talented tight ends (Dallas Goedert and Stowers) and a strong wide receiver trio (Smith, Lemon, and Wicks), he won’t see much playing time, and when he does, he will rarely get the ball.

Backup tight end Grant Calcaterra

Calcaterra offers no upside as a blocker. He is an average pass catcher who is basically a big wide receiver. His role will be replaced by Stowers, a super-athletic receiving tight end who struggles with blocking. Calcaterra could struggle to make the 53-man roster because the Eagles likely won’t keep two receiving-only tight ends.

Offensive tackles Myles Hinton and Cameron Williams

Bell has become the team’s top developmental tackle. He will surpass Hinton and Williams, two sixth-round picks in 2025, on the depth chart and could knock one of them off the roster.

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