September 14, 2022

Britain Covey brings stability to the Eagles' return game

By Shamus Clancy
PhillyVoice Staff

Britain Covey Eagles Open Practice 080722 Claggett

Colleen Claggett/PhillyVoice

Britain Covey #41 of the Philadelphia Eagles catches the football during an open practice at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pa. on Aug. 7, 2022.

Every Eagles fan's hope for a punt returner: someone who can catch the football, has some semblance of an idea of when to call a fair catch and can maybe pick up a few yards when fielding it. It sounds like an easy concept, but it's been absent from the Eagles' special teams unit essentially since Darren Sproles' heyday.

Enter Britain Covey.

Covey became a bit of a fan favorite this summer because his ability as a returner. A 25-year-old rookie wide receiver out of Utah, Covey had five total return touchdowns in his collegiate career. He led the entire NCAA with 427 punt return yards in 2021.

There was no earth-shattering, DeSean Jackson-like return from Covey in Week 1 against the Lions, but sometimes simplicity can just be the answer. He had two returns with a long of 11 yards that brought some juice before the Eagles' offense took the field. Special teams coordinator Michael Clay gave Covey props when speaking with the media on Tuesday.

"I think it is somewhat rare to have a guy with that type of composure right there that he'd be back there knowing there are some guys flying at him," Clay said about Covey's poise in his first real NFL action. "To stay even keeled throughout the entire thing and take what he can in certain spots, but also trust in the other 10 guys to block for him."

Clay praised Lions punter Jack Fox, who averaged 46.3 yards per punt with a long of 54 in Week 1. Additionally, he acknowledged Covey had a tough test ahead with Fox at Ford Field.

"Going against who I arguably think, I think Jack Fox is one of the better punters in the league. He was hitting balls up there I've never seen before. But he didn't bat an eye, caught it, was smooth," Clay said. "On that first one he did a great job on the shorter punt to fair catch it, saved us some yards right there, so I thought Britain did a good job in his first action, live action really against some guys, and we're just going to strive to get better in every aspect we possibly can."

Covey isn't on the Eagles' 53-man roster (yet). He was a practice squad call-up for Week 1 to work as a punt returner, an obvious move that anyone could tell was happening in the days leading up to the Birds' season opener. I'd imagine he gets the same treatment on Monday night and if he continues to bring the underrated, simple act of "competency," I can't imagine it'll be long before he gets that bump up and signed to the 53-man roster. Players can be elevated from the practice squad a maximum of three times during a season before being needed to be added outright to the 53-man squad to appear in another game.

"Kudos to [wide receivers coach] Aaron Moorehead," Clay continued about the way the team preps their returners. "On Thursdays are our big punt return days. He's throwing objects at them, trying to get them to not look at the ball, and just us sinking down to what we do in practice, getting them ready for the game in any possible situation with that. You see Aaron throw cones, bags, shields at them just to get them to not concentrate on the ball. [Covey[ didn't bat an eye and he was able to secure the ball in a very hairy situation right there. We're trying to give the ball to our offense and let them wind down the clock as much as possible. [For] him to catch it like that, he was out there fielding pop flies out there.

"It was pretty impressive for a young cat like Britain."

Reagor Returns

Jalen Reagor will make his return to Lincoln Financial Field on Monday Night Football with the Vikings. Reagor had an uneven tenure as the Eagles' punt returner. He had a huge 73-yard touchdown against the Packers in 2020, but was also prone to fair catch mistakes and fumbling issues, most notably in the Eagles' playoff game against the Buccaneers this past January.

Clay is well aware of Reagor's presence.

"I'm not just prepping for Jalen, I'm prepping for the Minnesota Vikings," Clay said about Reagor. "I respect Jalen and everything he did for my time here. Me and him had a really good relationship, so I only wish him the best in Minnesota, but I do have to get these guys ready to play against a very good special teams unit.

"He is still a very dangerous returner. You can't bat an eye at a guy that's had a punt return for a touchdown."

He might be the only person in Philadelphia who feels that way.

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