How Eagles WR 'not threatened by anything' gets Makai Lemon NFL ready
· Yahoo Sports
PHILADELPHIA − The directive came from Eagles wide receivers coach Aaron Moorehead while rookie Makai Lemon was out with a hamstring injury during training camp.
It turned out to be the same time that star wide receiver DeVonta Smith was out with a hamstring injury as well.
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"I basically told (Lemon), 'Whatever Smitty does, you do,'" Moorehead said.
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So Lemon followed Smith around like a shadow. When Smith came in early to rehab, so did Lemon. When Smith listened in to the offensive huddle during team drills, so did Lemon. And when both returned the week of Aug. 24, it wasn't hard to find Lemon within earshot of Smith.
That is still the case as the Eagles prepare for their season opener on Sept. 13 against the Washington Commanders.
Yet Smith has never been known as a vocal leader. Still, Smith was named one of the seven team captains this season. And it's easy to see why, as head coach Nick Sirianni detailed.
"When he talks, people listen," Sirianni said. "There are times that he's quiet. There are times that he's outspoken. But I just always see him grabbing guys and trying to help them because ... DeVonta knows that everyone's success on this team equals team success. And he's not threatened by anything there because of his position of being just a phenomenal football player.
"But he's constantly looking to help people as well."
Lemon appears to be Smith's pet project.
Lemon was drafted in the first round last spring, No. 20 overall. Lemon was seen as one of the ways the Eagles would try to make up for the production from A.J. Brown, who was traded June 1 to the New England Patriots. But Lemon has had a rocky start to his career.
Lemon first suffered a hamstring injury during the first week of spring practices and missed two weeks. He was ready for training camp. Then on the fourth day of practice, on Aug. 3, Lemon re-injured the hamstring. That was the same day Smith injured his hamstring.
They both missed three weeks of team drills. The difference, of course, is that Smith is in his sixth NFL season, has already had three seasons with at least 1,000 yards receiving. He has also been teammates with Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts going back to when they were teammates at Alabama for two seasons.
Lemon needed the reps with Hurts much more than Smith did. So these last two weeks, Lemon has gotten pretty much a crash course on the field with Hurts. That's in addition to the work they have done in the meeting rooms, going over video, and basically watching practice and listening to Hurts' cadence and command in the huddle.
That was something Lemon noted when he returned to the field, just learning how to be a pro. And that included how he approached his rehab.
"Just being a professional off the field, so if things like this come about, I'm ready for everything," Lemon said upon his return.
It's been a crash course on the field.
Lemon played in the final preseason game, catching 3 passes for 3 yards against the Bengals on Aug. 28. It was hardly impressive as one of the other passes to him went through his hands and was intercepted. Lemon took accountability for that, saying "it was a drop," and that he should've caught the pass.
"Unfortunately, he missed some time in practice," offensive coordinator Sean Mannion said. "But I think, what's been impressive is mentally, he's been very sharp − alignments, motions, route detail. He's done a really nice job of that. His confidence is growing with each practice ... And you can see the talent. I mean, it stands out every time you're out there, and it's going to keep getting better and better."
That will come as Lemon keeps adjusting. For now, he said Smith has been a valuable resource, especially when both were out with their injuries.
"Me just learning from him, just talking through things," Lemon said. "So any time I'm able to get some game from him, I'm doing that."
Just like Moorehead said.
Contact Martin Frank at [email protected]. Follow on X @Mfranknfl. Sign up for the "Eye On The Eagles" newsletter, emailed to your inbox every Friday morning. Read his coverage of the Eagles’ championship season in “Flying High,” a hardcover coffee-table book from Delaware Online/The News Journal. Details at Fly.ChampsBook.com
This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: How Eagles WR 'not threatened by anything' gets Makai Lemon NFL ready
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