DeVonta Smith got his payday and he's not going anywhere anytime soon.
The Eagles have now ensured their rising star's future is under contract through the 2028 season.
On Monday morning, the Eagles picked up Smith's fifth-year option on his rookie contract And The team announced that it has agreed to a three-year contract extension through the 2028 season.
So, in 2025, Smith will play with his fifth-year option, and his three-year extension for 2026, 2027 and 2028 is worth $75 million and includes $51 million in guaranteed money, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported.
It's big money for Smith, who didn't seem too worried about getting this deal done.
“Let the chips fall where they fall,” Smith said of his contract situation in February. “When the time comes, it comes. I don't necessarily focus on that. It will come and I let it go.”
This $25 million annual average over the three-year extension matches the APY of AJ Brown's four-year, $100 million contract he signed after he was traded to the Eagles in 2022.
In terms of APY, the Eagles now have two of the five highest-paid receivers in the NFL. Only Tyreek Hill ($30 million), Davante Adams ($28 million) and Cooper Kupp ($26.7 million) have a higher APY than Brown and Smith. It's worth noting that the Eagles completed this deal before major extensions for Justin Jefferson and Cedi Lamb reset the market.
Smith becomes eligible for a contract extension after completing the third year of his rookie contract in 2023. He enters the final year of that rookie deal in 2024 and will play in his fifth-year option in 2025. That option year is expected to be worth $15.591 million, according to OverTheCap . That wraps up a four-year, $91 million deal.
The Eagles didn't need to execute this extension now but they always prioritize getting deals done with their players early. And Smith is the type of starter they never want to let leave the building.
“DeVonta is an unbelievable guy, unbelievable player, obviously a local guy,” general manager Howie Roseman said at the combine this season. “Without going into detail, these are the people you don't really want to leave.”
Smith, 25, was the No. 10 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft out of Alabama, and was exactly what the Eagles hoped he would be over the first three years of his career.
In his first three seasons, Smith caught 240 passes for 3,178 yards and 19 touchdowns. Despite sharing the field with a pro like Brown, Smith still managed to rack up over 1,000 yards in back-to-back seasons.
In 2023, Smith ranks 20th in the NFL with 1,066 receiving yards but many doubt there is another level coming in his game. Even Smith believes there is more to come.
“I would say, yes,” he said in February. “I've seen that sometimes. But I mean it's just about putting the ball in space. That's all it is.”
The Eagles' offense will look different in 2024 after adding offensive coordinator Kellen Moore. There's a good chance Smith will be one of the players who benefits most from this change.
The Eagles have been busy this offseason and now have five players under contract through 2028: Jalen Hurts, Landon Dickerson, Jake Elliott, Jordan Mailata and Smith. Those final four have gotten stretches this season.
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