Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith “is believed to be dealing with a mild ankle sprain,” according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Rapoport reported the 2021 first-round pick is due to have additional testing to determine the full severity of the injury, which wasn’t initially considered a major issue.
Smith caught three passes for 30 yards in Sunday’s 35-31 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. He was on the field for 88 percent of Philadelphia’s offensive snaps.
After the game, however, NFL Network’s Omar Ruiz shared a photo of him on crutches with a boot on his right foot.
Plenty of fans will have immediately jumped to the worst-case scenario, and even a more optimistic reading isn’t all that encouraging.
Smith’s injury provides another reason for the Eagles to rue their inability to beat the 12-loss Cardinals at home.
The Dallas Cowboys’ 20-19 victory over the Detroit Lions meant Philadelphia was unable to clinch a division title regardless of the outcome. A win at least would’ve allowed the reigning conference champion to maintain a one-game lead atop the NFC East.
Now, Dallas is in first place, with Philly occupying the fifth seed in the NFC playoff bracket. The Eagles no longer have a buffer if they come up short in Week 18 against the New York Giants, a matchup that gets a little trickier if they’re without the services of Smith.
His availability for the postseason is obviously more important.
Smith is second on the team in receptions (81) and receiving yards (1,066), and his seven touchdown grabs put him in a tie for first with A.J. Brown. The 25-year-old’s value as a secondary target was evident during last year’s playoff run, when he had 15 catches for 197 yards and a touchdown in three games.
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