Philadelphia Eagles: Deontay Burnett is having a not bummer summer

One Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver is having a great summer.

I think we collectively owe Deontay Burnett an apology.

Since joining the Philadelphia Eagles‘ regular-season roster on Christmas Eve, 2019, the 6-foot, 186-pound UDFA out of USC has been the poster child for the team’s brutally depleted wide receiving corps.

It’s true, seemingly anytime an article was written talking how Howie Roseman bolstered the Eagles’ offensive options you’d see players like Robert Davis, Joshua Perkins, and yes, Burnett name-dropped as a cautionary tale for not coming into a season with enough depth. And I’ll admit, I did it too. Burnett came to the Eagles as a cast-off from the Jets, where he caught 10 balls for 143 yards over five games, so why would he be anything more than a last-minute bandaid to try to give Carson Wentz someone with a pulse to throw to?

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Well, I for one am happy to admit my mistake, as Burnett has been balling out like a man possessed so far this summer, and is making it harder and harder for the Eagles to let him go with each passing practice.

Wait, someone is actually having a good summer? I guess 2020 had to be going well for someone.

Initially starting out the summer on the third team behind everyone from Jalen Reagor and DeSean Jackson to Day 3 rookies John Hightower and Quez Watkins, Burnett has steadily worked his way up the pecking order thanks to a consistently, well, consistent string of performances in one-on-ones and 11-11s.

Despite being on the smaller side, which is saying something considering the Eagles are expected to start Week 1 with only two wide receivers measuring in at 6-foot-1 or taller, Burnett has also excelled against the press, clowning potential starting slot cornerback Cre’von LeBlanc in particularly tight coverage. When a team plans to overload the offensive line with as many speedsters as the Eagles look to in *checks notes* 16 days and counting, having a few guys who can consistently get open on short and intermediate routes is a luxury few tend to appreciate.

In a lot of ways, Burnett is like 2020’s version of Greg Ward, an overlooked receiver with an unconventional path onto the roster. Sure, Burnett isn’t a converted college quarterback and didn’t have to kick it in the AAF for their first – and only – (half) season of existence, but he wiped away any goodwill remaining from his dependable college career as Sam Darnold‘s safety blanket with a super slow 4.70 40 on a bum hamstring at his pro day. Burnett went from a potential fourth-to-sixth round pick to a UDFA who was signed and waived by the Tennessee Titans in a four-month period.

With Ward ‘slotted’ in as the Eagles’ starting slot receiver for much of camp, Burnett is rapidly locking up the second string spot on the inside – a borderline impossible thought even one month ago.

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Is Deontay Burnett a lock to make the team? No. Honestly, Howie Roseman could even opt to trade him away for a better fitting piece – like a veteran reserve offensive lineman – if he believes keeping seven wide receivers is a tad excessive. But why count out the former USC Trojan so quickly? If his unusual tenure with the Philadelphia Eagles is of any indication, I’d be wary of counting out Burnett anytime soon, as he just keeps finding a way to make plays and move the chains towards a spot on the 53 man roster.

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