After suffering back-to-back losses for the first time since losing three straight to close the 2023 season, the Philadelphia Eagles’ offseason decisions are being put under a microscope. Thursday’s loss to the New York Giants made the Eagles appear as doomed as ants under a magnifying glass, and decisions such as hiring Kevin Patullo as offensive coordinator and letting several key free agents walk are coming back to bite them.
But while cornerback Isaiah Rodgers and offensive guard Mekhi Becton are thriving elsewhere, there’s an under-the-radar decision that is burning the Eagles.
The Eagles decided to let go of kick returner Britain Covey last season and have been scrambling to fill his spot ever since. Tank Bigsby was the latest member of the Eagles to get a chance after he was acquired in a trade with the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sept. 8, but his shot came to an end when he was benched after muffing a kickoff return on Thursday night.
The good news is that Covey is still with the Eagles after returning to the practice squad in late August, and he must be elevated after Bigsby failed to win the job before it's too late.
Britain Covey’s Return Could Be the Spark that the Eagles’ Special Teams Need
Covey was not a star during the Eagles' run to the Super Bowl due to a neck injury that limited him to five games; however, he was a player who did his job consistently, something that seems to be missing throughout Philadelphia’s roster at the moment.
An undrafted free agent out of Utah, Covey averaged 9.3 yards per punt return during his rookie season and 14.4 yards per punt return while leading the league in punt return yardage (417) in 2023. While Covey’s neck injury derailed his 2024 campaign, he could have been of use considering the NFL’s introduction of the dynamic kickoff.
The rules, which were put into place to increase kickoff returns, have been a success so far. According to NFL football operations, teams have returned kickoffs at an 81.3% rate over the first five weeks of this season compared to 30.8% of the first five weeks of last season. It has also led to a decrease in touchbacks and increased the starting field position to the 29.4-yard line, giving the return game more of an impact.
Covey has just 11 kick returns in his NFL career, but has shown he’s capable of doing the job in the past with 12 returns for 360 yards and a touchdown during his final season at Utah. The Eagles, meanwhile, have had trouble finding anyone who can do the job, with an NFL-low 20.7 yards per kickoff return this season.
Increasing the success of kick returns could alleviate some of the pressure that has been building for the Eagles' offense. While Covey may not be the answer due to his limited experience returning kickoffs at the NFL level, it’s a lever worth pulling if it means saving the season.