The Philadelphia Eagles offense may not have been the air show some expected with Kellen Moore as the offensive coordinator, but the explosive passing game featuring A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith was a perfect complement to a dominant running game — which helped the team win their second Super Bowl in franchise history.
Well, Kellen Moore is now the head coach of the New Orleans Saints, which means this offense is likely to go through some changes in 2025.
One analyst believes these changes could be something that works against Smith this upcoming season.
Does Losing OC Kellen Moore Impact DeVonta Smith Negatively for 2025?
DeVonta Smith has been a steady contributor to a potent Eagles offense ever since he stepped onto an NFL field back in 2021, but is coming off of a career-low 833 receiving yards in 2024.
Combine this downward trend in a run-heavy offense with a new offensive coordinator and you get some of the thinking from PFF NFL Analyst Nathan Jahnke as to why he believes their are some factors working against DeVonta Smith in 2025.
Jahnke wrote, “The Eagles lost Kellen Moore to the New Orleans Saints, so long-time passing game coordinator Kevin Patullo was elevated to offensive coordinator and is expected to be the offensive play-caller… Smith has been a safe bet to be a top-24 fantasy wide receiver the last three seasons, and that should be the case this year. The Kellen Moore loss and a potentially healthier receiver room are working against Smith, but the possibility of a higher pass rate and more receiving touchdowns are working for him.”
The final sentence does paint a slightly more optimistic outlook for Smith, but he will still enter his fifth NFL season operating in a crowded offense loaded with an elite rushing attack makes it a bit tricky to project where the ceiling lies for the Alabama product.
What do the Expectations look like for DeVonta Smith in 2025?
Smith has established a very reliable floor worth of production during his first four years in the NFL. He has 60 receptions for 800 yards and five scores in four consecutive years. Yet, pinpointing projections are tricky for player of his caliber operating as the clear-cut second option in the passing game.
Jahnke added, “The Eagles retained the top four players on their wide receiver depth chart, as well as their top two tight ends and Saquon Barkley. The Eagles players have arguably the most competition for touches, with Jalen Hurts rushing, Saquon Barkley, A.J. Brown, Smith and Dallas Goedert. On the bright side, they do a good job of consolidating those touches to those five players.”
Smith did see a career-low 89 targets in 2024, but likely had to do with playing just 13 games last season. Injuries could open the door for Smith to experience a full-blown breakout year in 2025.
Jahnke continued, “Whenever one of the Eagles’ receivers was injured, the receiving yards were consolidated to the other players. Smith averaged 47.6 yards per game when everyone was healthy but 71.3 yards per game when Goedert or Brown was injured. Goedert similarly averaged 24 more yards per game when one of the two wide receivers was healthy, while Brown’s numbers were similar regardless.”
Smith is an exceptional talent with rare separation skills who still feels like a safe bet to finish around 85 receptions for 1,100 yards and six scores with a handful of spike weeks when the Eagles are forced into more pass-heavy game scripts.
