Eagles Rumors: DeVonta Smith Contract Talks 'Ongoing'; 'General Optimism' About Deal

Coming off back-to-back seasons with 1,000 receiving yards, DeVonta Smith is looking to secure a long-term contract extension from the Philadelphia Eagles.

Per ESPN's Tim McManus, talks between the Eagles and Smith's camp are "ongoing" and there is "general optimism that a deal will materialize in the near future."

This offseason marks the first time that Smith is eligible to sign a new deal. His rookie contract runs through the 2024 season, though the Eagles hold a fifth-year option for 2025 that seems almost certain to be picked up before the May 2 deadline.

Smith's fifth-year option will guarantee him $15.6 million. The 25-year-old has been a consistently steady performer for the Eagles since being selected with the 10th overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft.

Since entering the NFL, Smith is tied for 16th among all wide receivers with 19 touchdown catches and ranks 17th with 3,178 receiving yards.

Smith and A.J. Brown became the first Eagles teammates to surpass 1,000 receiving yards in the same season in 2022. They repeated that feat in 2023.

Brown is under contract for three more seasons. He will only count $12.4 million against the cap in 2024, but that figure goes up to $26.5 million in 2025 and $41.5 million in 2026.

It will be interesting to see how the Eagles attempt to structure Smith's deal. They may not want to invest that much money in the wide receiver position, especially with Jalen Hurts signed to a long-term contract.

The Eagles did structure Hurts' deal so his cap hits remain low for the next two seasons. He won't count more than $30 million against the cap until 2026.

There's no denying that Smith is a vital part of Philadelphia's offense and has earned a long-term extension. The Eagles have him under contract for two more seasons, assuming they pick up his option, so they don't need to rush into anything.

But it also benefits the organization to know they have one of the best offensive players under contract for the remainder of his prime years.