According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Eagles’ rookie wide receiver DeVonta Smith has suffered an MCL sprain, which was revealed during an MRI that took place Sunday. With the injury, Smith is expected to miss two to three weeks.
While it certainly doesn’t seem ideal for a rookie to be missing time during training camp and preseason games, the Eagles feel that due to Smith’s advanced play, they can take their time with him (per BGN’s Brandon Lee Gowton).
It’s hard not to understand where the Eagles are coming from in regards to the Alabama product’s progress. Smith was lighting it up in training camp, and has shown that he can be the true #1 receiver this team has been missing for years.
Are We Headed For Another Injury-Ridden Season?
While the Eagles don’t seem to be worked up over Smith’s injury and him missing time, it’s not exactly nothing to scoff at either. One of the biggest concerns about Smith leading up to the draft was his weight and possible injury proneness that would occur once he entered the NFL.
Additionally, training camp can be a way for teammates to gel with each other and continue to learn the offense. While Smith missing this time isn’t the end all be all, it certainly wouldn’t have hurt for him to continue practicing and working with quarterback Jalen Hurts.
It also seems that no matter who suits up for the Eagles, they always seem to run into injury woes. Numerous players last year found their way onto the IR, which ended up hurting the Eagles frequently.
The last thing a rebuilding team needs is for another one of their promising young players to be banged up and out for half of the season.
The biggest hope for the team and fans is that Smith is able to recover from his sprain and get back onto the field while playing at 100%. He’ll be a crucial part in the team’s playoff aspirations for this year and beyond.
