Who Should I Start? Matthew Golden or Makai Lemon

Saturday, August 1, 5:25 AM

When the Philadelphia Eagles traded up in the 2026 NFL Draft to select wide receiver Makai Lemon with the 20th pick of the first round, he became an integral part of the plan to replace three-time Pro Bowler A.J. Brown. Through the early stages of training camp, the team has been creative with his usage, according to Eagles beat reporter Jeff McLane. Lemon won the Biletnikoff Award as the best receiver in college football while operating primarily out of the slot, but McLane reports that new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion has regularly put him in motion, either pre-snap or at the snap, and he's even taken some reps on the outside, which is something that could be asked more of him in 2026. Brown topped 1,000 yards in each of his four seasons with the Eagles, and the task of replacing that production will likely be split between Lemon and new additions Dontayvion Wicks and Hollywood Brown, with Lemon having the highest potential ceiling of the group and currently coming off the board around the seventh or eighth round of 2026 drafts.