Eagles' Makai Lemon Has Perfect Mindset After Tough NFL Debut

It wasn't a pretty showing for Makai Lemon, somebody who needs to prove that he can make a big impact for the Philadelphia Eagles offense. 

The idea of Lemon was for him to come in and be a player who can make a major impact on the offensive side of the football throughout his rookie season. Unfortunately, that doesn't look like it's going to be the case right now, at least after one preseason game.

At the same time, what I just said is why I don't think it's really fair for many to have as strong of feelings as they do about the young man. 

Lemon has played in only one preseason game in his young career and has dealt with an injury for much of the offseason. Just because he had three receptions on five targets for three yards and a fumble doesn't mean that he isn't going to be the guy Philadelphia was hoping for when it drafted him.

Speaking to reporters, he said he's glad he got it out of the way, but also admitted he has to clean up and improve if he wants to be the guy he knows he can be.

“Just cleaning up little mistakes really,” Lemon said about the benefit of getting this one out of the way, per NBCS Philly. “Dropping the ball like that, I’m glad it happened in the preseason so come around September, things like that won’t happen…

“Learn from it and forget about it,” Lemon said about their message to him. “You can’t beat yourself about it, man. Next play mentality, really. Just appreciate the guys having my back. I’m real hard on myself, I’m a perfectionist so when things like that do come about, I just have to forget about it and move on.”

With a team like the Eagles, mistakes are always going to be glorified. Many hoped Lemon would be among the elite of the elite in the league, and one preseason game isn't going to change that. 

Even if he struggles a good bit during his rookie season, there's no reason to take this as more than what it is. We see it all the time, so he wouldn't be any different from many other players who end up becoming stars one day.