DeVonta Smith's absence from the Philadelphia Eagles' lineup is set to extend beyond their Sunday meeting with the Los Angeles Rams. A hamstring issue that kept Smith out of practice throughout the week leaves him facing a potential absence of two or three games, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Philadelphia added Smith to the injury report on Friday, and the timeline attached to those medical findings points toward a multi-week absence, leaving the team's offensive unit without a consistent contributor at a position where reliable output has been limited.
Through the first three games of the season, no pass-catcher in the Eagles' offense had drawn on quarterback Jalen Hurts more consistently than Smith. Across two outings — a Monday night visit to Soldier Field against the Chicago Bears and a separate clash with the Tennessee Titans — he recorded 15 receptions for 200 yards, with the Bears game alone accounting for five catches worth 83 yards.
Philadelphia's roster at the receiver position is further thinned for the Los Angeles matchup as a direct result of additional injuries. A.J. Brown has been kept off the field by an ankle problem, while Dallas Goedert is sitting out for the second consecutive game due to a knee issue.
Wider workloads on the offensive side of the ball are expected for Dontayvion Wicks, first-year receiver Makai Lemon, Darius Cooper, and Elijah Moore, with Zach Ertz also positioned to take on a more prominent share of the tight end duties.
The timeline outlined in those reports raises questions about Smith's availability for the upcoming stretch of fixtures. The Eagles' Week 5 slot features a London matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars, with the Carolina Panthers arriving as home opponents the following week. An absence covering three games from Sunday onward would place Smith on track to return for the Week 7 Monday night fixture against Dallas.
After the Los Angeles matchup, Philadelphia's remaining schedule lines up the Jaguars, Panthers, and Cowboys as the next three opponents in succession.
Lemon, who recorded three receptions for 29 yards in the contest against Chicago, is expected to be deployed on deeper routes, while Wicks is anticipated to take on a more consistent role as an outside target. The contributions of both Cooper and Moore in the long-snapping role will also be a factor for the team going forward.
Managing Smith's hamstring — still tender from earlier in the season — figures among the priorities for the Eagles, while Hurts and the offensive coaching staff face the task of generating output from a receiving corps that has undergone notable personnel changes.
