DeVonta Smith Returns to Eagles Practice

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith returned to practice Monday after missing the last couple of weeks with a sprained MCL in his left knee. Smith was on the field wearing full pads for the teams joint practice with the New England Patriots. He did not participate in 1-on-1 or team drills on Monday, but he did participate in individual drills.

The Eagles had recently upgraded the former Alabama wide receiver from week-to-week to day-to-day. He was seen last week doing conditioning work and non-contact footwork drills, signaling he is headed in the right direction. Smith has missed a total of eight practices during training camp since suffering a knee injury earlier this month.

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Philadelphia used the No. 10 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft to select Smith and pair him with his former Alabama teammate Jalen Hurts. Smith fills an immediate need for an Eagles team that ranked 28th in passing offense in 2020.

The 2020 Heisman trophy winner left an impression on veteran players during offseason workouts. "Worked with him the other day a little bit, talking to him about a little ball. He's headed in the right direction," said cornerback Darius Slay. "He knows what he's talking about, he knows how to win 1-on-1 matchups, and that's what we need from our receiving corps right now. I think he'll win a lot of 1-on-1 matchups. I'm not going to be shocked about it."

Smith is not expected to play in the Eagles second preseason game against the Patriots on Thursday, but the team is hoping to get their first round pick on the field for their preseason finale against the New York Jets on Aug. 27.