DeVonta Smith doesn't regret recent Philadelphia Eagles contract extension: "I'm where I want to be"
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith doesn't have any regrets about his recent contract extension after several wideouts across the NFL signed larger deals.
Why? Because Philly is the only place Smith wanted to be.
"You can't be counting the pockets of others," Smith said Tuesday. "I'm where I want to be. This is where I wanted to be. At the end of the day, it was still life-changing for me. Those guys that got their deals, they deserve it. Great players and great people. At the end of the day, we're all blessed."
In April, Smith signed a three-year contract extension with the Eagles worth $75 million, including $51 million guaranteed.
Since then, other wideouts have signed much larger deals and reset the market.
On Monday, the Minnesota Vikings signed Justin Jefferson to a massive four-year extension worth $140 million, including $110 million guaranteed.
Shortly after the Eagles extended Smith, the Detroit Lions signed Amon-Ra St. Brown to a four-year, $120 million extension.
At the end of May, the Miami Dolphins and Jaylen Waddle, Smith's former teammate at the University of Alabama, signed a three-year, $84.75 million deal.
Since the Smith extension, the Eagles also locked up his teammate, A.J. Brown, to a monster three-year, $96 million contract extension with $84 million in guarantees before the 2024 NFL draft.
After Jefferson signed his contract with the Vikings, former Eagles president Joe Banner posted on X Smith should fire his agent.
"DeVonta Smith should fire his agent unless he overruled the agents advice," Banner wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. "He completely misread where market was headed and signed a deal before all these deals reset the market. What was the rush? Another smart deal by Eagles but can only happen if player and agent allow it."
Devonta Smith should fire his agent unless he overruled the agents advice. He completely misread where market was headed and signed a deal before all these deals reset the market. What was the rush? Another smart deal by Eagles but can only happen if player and agent allow it.
— Joe Banner (@JoeBanner13) June 3, 2024
Banner has since posted his initial comments about Smith's deal were "too harsh." But locking up key players like Smith early ahead of the market is something Eagles executive vice president and general manager Howie Roseman has done throughout his tenure.
In this offseason alone, the Eagles have signed other home-grown talent like Reed Blankenship, Landon Dickerson, Jake Elliott and Jordan Mailata to contract extensions.
On Tuesday, Smith said the Eagles are still figuring out new offensive coordinator Kellen Moore's offense.
Moore was the Los Angeles Charges' OC in 2023 and held the same role for four years with the Dallas Cowboys. He's in his first year as Philadelphia's offensive coordinator after the team fired Brian Johnson following a disastrous end to last season. The Birds' offense looked stale and lacked answers against defenses, especially against the blitz.
Smith said he believes the creativity of the offense, including motion and different bunch formations, will help players like him, Brown, Dallas Goedert, Saquon Barkley and Jalen Hurts make plays in 2024.
"I think it's going to be great," Smith said. "Get a new style of offense around, let guys not have more freedom but be able to do things that we weren't allowed to do — moving guys around and things like that. And overall, it's always nice to have a fresh start."