PHILADELPHIA — Makai Lemon said he felt a familiar pain. Yes, in his hamstring. Yes, the same hamstring that sidelined him for half of the Philadelphia Eagles’ OTAs. It was a “little tweak,” the rookie wide receiver said, which flared when he attempted to burst, just four days into training camp. The injury caused him to miss two weeks of practices, two preseason games and the competitive parts of two joint practices with the New England Patriots.The repeat injury carried all the frustrating elements of a “here we go again” situation.“It was definitely tough,” Lemon said. “I’m real competitive. Ain’t never want to be away from this game. So, me knowing that it’s the hamstring again, I’m just making sure I take the right precautions. (I’m) learning from it so it doesn’t happen again.”Lemon, who returned to full participation in Monday’s practice, further defined his lesson as “making sure I’m more professional off the field.” He works with the team’s trainers. He adheres to the recovery plan they created for him. He makes sure to warm up properly before taking the field.Which NFL team's outcome is the hardest to predict?Austin Mock and Madison EadesProfessional. He repeated the word Monday, almost as if he were emphasizing his new standards. The No. 20 pick avoided making excuses, even when a reporter asked how many practices he thought it’d take to fully apply the mental reps he’d been taking.“You’re supposed to take the mental rep, come out here and bring it to life,” Lemon said. “That’s about being a professional.”That perspective suits the Eagles. The sooner Lemon is up to speed, the better.Lemon was the primary acquisition in the organization’s overhaul of its wide receivers group this offseason. He was never expected to be a substitute for A.J. Brown, whom the Eagles traded to the Patriots in June. Philadelphia general manager Howie Roseman traded up from No. 23 to snatch Lemon at No. 20 in the 2026 draft because the 2025 winner of the Biletnikoff Award, as the best receiver in college football, had been a dogged and versatile chain mover, whose penchant for yards after the catch at USC made him a fit in the system first-time offensive coordinator Sean Mannion planned to run in Philly.The Eagles’ financial core was also shifting to the team’s defense. Further still, Brown remains on this year’s budget as a $21.8 million dead money hit. Lemon and his affordable rookie contract (a $3.7 million cap hit in 2026) fit Roseman’s cost-effective strategy to provide DeVonta Smith ($10.7 million) with a supporting cast. Roseman also made a moderate gamble by spending $12 million in cash payouts this year to bring down the cap hits of veteran acquisitions Dontayvion Wicks ($2.3 million) and Hollywood Brown ($2 million). When Smith and Lemon suffered hamstring injuries in the second week of training camp, Brown’s series of drops underlined the rhythm and firepower the Eagles lacked without Lemon.That Lemon spent Monday’s entire practice with the first-team offense suggested how much the Eagles need him on the field — and how much catching up Lemon must do in a short amount of time. The Eagles have two more training camp practices, plus a walk-through, before they host the Cincinnati Bengals in their preseason finale Friday. Lemon, who said he is prepared to play Friday if called upon, will have two more weeks of practice before the Eagles’ regular-season opener against the Washington Commanders.