PHILADELPHIA – The Eagles activated rookie wide receiver Ainias Smith off injured reserve before Sunday’s game at Cincinnati.

Smith, the first of Philadelphia’s three fifth-round picks in April at 152nd overall, was placed on IR/designated to return at the initial cut at 53 with what was described as an ankle injury.

His 21-day practice window opened on Oct. 7, so the Eagles had until Monday to either place the Texas A&M product on the roster or shut him down for the season, which would mean a player in good health would not train unless released.

Smith will join a WR group that includes stars AJ Brown and DeVinta Smith, as well as Jahan Dotson and rookie sixth-round pick Johnny Wilson. Veteran Parris Campbell also spent time on the active roster, but is now on the practice squad, alongside younger receiving options Danny Gray, Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint and Kyle Phillips.

Veteran Britain Covey, who is also the team’s primary punt returner, is on IR with a broken shoulder blade, and veteran John Ross is on the PS/Injured list with an undisclosed injury.

Smith arrived in Philadelphia eager to translate the success he had as a playmaker at Texas A&M into one of the NFL’s most prolific offenses.

The 5-foot-9, 176-pound Texas native was also projected as a tailor-made fit for one of Philadelphia’s few needs on the offensive end: a slot receiver.

Real life got in the way in the form of a stress fracture in Smith’s tibia discovered at the NFL Scouting Combine, an injury that knocked him out of the second-day conversation for most NFL teams and at third day of the draft where the Eagles decided. the cost-benefit analysis was worth it.

Smith arrived in Philadelphia while still rehabbing from surgery and was pushing to get back on the field, eager to prove the Eagles right for taking a chance on him. Once finally cleared, Smith began to pressure and he began to give up the ball, which was never really a problem at the college level.

Things started to change towards the end of the summer and Smith was targeted almost twice as much as any other Eagles receiver and had a team-high six receptions for 36 yards during the preseason finale against Minnesota.

“I feel like the whole spring and summer I really didn’t get any reps and I was depressed because of my injury,” Smith admitted to SI’s Philadelphia Eagles. “…Once I started giving them real reps, I felt like I was pressing a little bit. But then the game started to slow down a bit for me.

Smith, however, refused to use injury as an excuse for his slow start.

“I mean, I really worked to move forward throughout the summer, throughout the spring,” he said. “When I was here at OTAs with the coaching staff, throughout the summer, I worked hard, trying to move forward and come back well. And the turnaround was quick, but I can’t use that as an excuse.

“There is no excuse. I have to go and be ready. So, in the end, that’s how it is.

Smith found himself on IR for six weeks, learning the business side of the NFL before finally moving to the 53rd on Saturday.

The roster spot was opened Friday when the Eagles moved defensive tackle Byron Young to IR because of a hamstring injury.

In other roster news Saturday, the Eagles did not use any practice squad roster roster for the first time this season. With Dallas Goedert ruled out Friday with a hamstring injury, that means Philadelphia will have just two tight ends — Grant Calcaterra and Jack Stoll — available for the second week in a row.

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