Makai Lemon must’ve been beyond thrilled when he saw his phone light up during the draft. His long-awaited dream had finally come true; Lemon was going to play in the NFL. What followed next, however, was a confusing sequence of events. Lemon knew he was drafted, but not by the team he was on the phone with. Insider Ian Rapoport explained this mini-chaos, which was caused by the Philadelphia Eagles trading up at No. 20.

“Pittsburgh Steelers get on the phone with Makai Lemon, planning to select him next at 21,” Rapoport explained. “Except what they didn’t know is [that] the Eagles had actually traded up over them, were trying to get in touch with Lemon, but he wasn’t answering because he was already on the phone with the Steelers. In the end, the Eagles do the trade, they get Makai Lemon.”

Philadelphia aptly captioned the moment on X: “The call of a lifetime.”

“Then my phone kept ringing, and it was the Eagles,” Lemon told the press. “They traded up, and they were going to pick me. Everything happens for a reason. …They really wanted me.”

“I was definitely shocked,” Lemon said when asked if he was surprised by the Eagles’ trade. “But I couldn’t be happier that they did. I’m super blessed. It was the right time and the right team.”

The Eagles are getting a pro-ready receiver in Lemon. He was a standout in college football last season, winning the Biletnikoff Award after making 79 catches for 1,156 yards and scoring 11 touchdowns. Lemon was competing with now New Orleans Saints WR Jordyn Tyson to be WR1 in this draft. It wasn’t expected for the USC phenom to drop this low in the draft, but it gave the Eagles an impactful talent to help quarterback Jalen Hurts.

The trade was the brainchild of Eagles General Manager Howie Roseman. Philadelphia exchanged the 23rd, 114th, and 137th picks with the Dallas Cowboys to get Makai Lemon. Philadelphia also has a 2027 first-round pick as a result of this trade. The last time they did this with Dallas was in 2021, when the Eagles got DeVonta Smith. Lemon has the capabilities to recreate a similar arc at Philadelphia. Though the team hit a snag in breaking the news to the star WR, this is a win-win situation for everyone involved.

Eagles’ Makai Lemon move signals looming AJ Brown exit

Now that Makai Lemon is here, what does this mean for veteran WR AJ Brown? This trade adds more fuel to the recent chatter that the latter WR, who is now 28, could be leaving before the new season starts. This week, ESPN shared that A.J. Brown, who has played four seasons with the Eagles, might be heading to the Patriots after June 1. That’s when his contract becomes simpler to manage. His salary is said to drop from $40 million to $20 million, which could make it easier for both teams to agree on a trade.

When Lemon was drafted, Rapoport also claimed that this move would lead to Brown’s departure. The Eagles also added Dontayvion Wicks earlier this month, giving him a one-year extension through 2027. Plus, they signed Hollywood Brown and Elijah Moore to short-term contracts, building up their depth in case someone leaves. Even though Brown racked up 1,003 receiving yards and scored seven touchdowns, they are getting another electric wideout in Makai Lemon. And with DeVonta Smith in play, Brown is very likely to get the cut.

The Eagles seem to be moving towards a faster, more lateral passing style that focuses on gaining yards after the catch. With this strategy, Lemon could quickly find his place and become a solid WR2 in this changing offense.