DeVonta Smith has no issues with A.J. Brown venting, but is content ‘staying in my own lane’ amid slow start
Like Brown, Smith’s skills have gone untapped through four games, despite the Eagles’ 4-0 start. Unlike Brown, however, Smith has mostly kept to himself. He’s endured droughts like this before.
The sight of a massive media throng around A.J. Brown’s locker stall at the NovaCare Complex has become a regular occurrence in his four seasons with the Eagles.
He slipped through the crowd on Wednesday, stood below the “Always Open” sign next to his name placard, and proceeded to hold court.
While the Pro Bowler addressed reporters for the first time since making his latest cryptic comments casting doubts about his contentedness in Philadelphia, the Eagles’ other stud receiver stood at the neighboring locker stall, and smiled.
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Yes, DeVonta Smith has seen this show before.
Like Brown, Smith possesses game-changing talent.
Also like Brown, his skills have gone untapped through four games this season, despite the Eagles’ 4-0 start.
Unlike Brown, however, Smith has mostly kept to himself; no ambiguous biblical quotes posted to social media, outward displays of frustration, or any other action that would, on the surface, sound alarms.
“I don’t think I have an answer for that,” said Smith on a new episode of the unCovering the Birds podcast, when asked why he’s handled the Eagles’ receiving woes differently.
“I think it’s what you make of it.”
Smith disagreed with the notion that he, in his own way, is part of Brown’s current saga; however, the contributions of the two are undeniably intertwined.
For the Eagles’ offense to be at its best, Smith and Brown need to be at their best.
Through one month, neither has done nearly enough.
Smith is averaging 39.5 yards a game and just 1.24 yards per route run, while Brown has accounted for 37.8 yards and 1.19 yards per route.
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Smith has endured other four-game stretches with fewer yards, but he could at least look to Brown’s output as a reason why.
Brown, meanwhile, hasn’t had close to the same dry spell in Philly.
“These guys know that they’re great football players and want to do things that contribute to help us win football games,” said Eagles coach Nick Sirianni. “To me, that’s normal. We want to get them the ball and so we have to do our job as coaches to help them get the ball.”
Smith has yet to rock the boat publicly this year, but hasn’t exactly been a shrinking violet during his time as a pro.
In his rookie season, Smith almost lost it when the ball didn’t come his way on the last play of a game against the Giants in the Meadowlands, running to the sideline screaming (at no one in particular, it seemed) and chucking his helmet.
The next year, in 2022, Smith expressed frustration when he didn’t have a single catch in Brown’s first game with the Eagles.
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Last season, Smith was right there alongside Brown after the Panthers game (again, another win), saying that the passing game needed to be better if the Eagles wanted to win a championship.
“What I see from DeVonta is him coming to work every single day working to get better because those are the things that he can control,” Sirianni said.
“It doesn’t bother me, kind of staying to myself, staying in my own lane,” Smith said. “It is what it is. If the spotlight’s there, it’s there. If it’s not, it’s not.”
After the Eagles rode an explosive offense in the NFC Championship game and Super Bowl to last year’s Lombardi Trophy, opposing clubs have understandably come out this year with counters to the Eagles’ many threats.
Smith has noticed teams dropping more defenders and rolling coverages to specific players.
“I think that’s what’s making it tough right now,” he said.
The Eagles are seeking answers.
And while the coaching staff, namely Sirianni and first-year offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo, bear part of the burden, so too do the players — not just Smith and Brown, but quarterback Jalen Hurts as well.
Smith and Hurts have been teammates since their college days at Alabama. He understands the demands on the quarterback when there are so many mouths to feed.
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“He has a tough job,” Smith said. “He does a great job of knowing when he has those chances and taking them and now, ultimately, just being patient. That’s the main thing.”
Smith and Brown both maintain their top priority is collective success, not personal performance.
When it comes to venting, Smith has no issue with Brown speaking out.
“He has every right to feel however he feels,” Smith said. “We’re competitive. We’re guys that are getting paid money, so we want to be able to come out here feeling like we’re doing our job. I feel like there’s nothing wrong when you got two alpha males that want to be a part of something, want to take over games and things like that.”
Remember, en route to their latest title, the Eagles didn’t find an offensive identity until the second month of the season.
This year, they’ve bought themselves a longer runway after winning their first four games, but now it’s October. “Go-time” is getting close.
“When the ball comes my way,” Smith said, “I’ll make the most of the opportunity.”
Smith and Brown always have their green lights on. The Denver Broncos represent the next chance for Sirianni, Patullo, and Hurts to gas up their F1 receivers.
“I feel like everybody’s giving everything they have,” said Smith, “doing something for another guy to get involved.”