First-round pick DeVonta Smith will miss two-to-three weeks with a sprained MCL.
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Should we be concerned? The Eagles don't appear to be.
The coaching staff went out of its way to praise the way Smith gets off the line of scrimmage; he didn't look very rookie-like to them.
And so while it shouldn't be a big deal if he misses the preseason games, that's prime time to develop chemistry with Jalen Hurts, who may as well be a rookie himself given it's his first time being handed the reigns of an NFL team.
Smith will also miss his shot to experience the speed of the NFL game firsthand.
I do worry this could contribute to a slow start. The Birds are very thin at wide receiver, and they may need to sign a veteran. One familiar guy who is still out there is Alshon Jeffrey.
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As for Hurts, the coaches aren't coddling him in any way. In fact, they're being extra hard on him, especially when it comes to his footwork, which needs a lot of work.
But Hurts,says he wouldn't want it any other way
The regular season is six weeks away.
Hurts and company look far from ready to me. But one way he's in midseason form is winning over the locker room.
This week, the team practiced to his playlist of music. And several players were seen wearing a hat with his catchphrase on it - Rent is Due.
We'll see how they do when preseason games start next Thursday.