'Crazy!' Eagles' Britain Covey Fights Perceptions and Competition
PHILADELPHIA - Britain Covey was arguably the best punt returner in the NFL during the 2023 season.
Once in the same conversation as the best PR in the college ranks at Utah, Covey reached the same level in the pros by his second season when he led the league in punt return yards (417), and was the only player with multiple turns of 50-play yards.
Covey’s 14.4 yards-per-return was No. 2 behind the LA Chargers’ Derius Davis.
Eagles star PR Britain Covey. USA Today
The Eagles haven’t had a PR like Covey since the dynamic DeSean Jackson and Covey’s 2023 season was neck-and-neck with franchise greats Brian Westbrook (15.3 YPR in 2003) and Jackson (15.2 in 2009) as the best in franchise history during an era where punting acumen has exploded across the league.
Despite that many believe Covey will be fighting for his job this summer.
In some ways, Covey will always be battling against that perception.
He certainly didn't go undrafted because of a lack of production at Utah but he's generously listed at 5-foot-8 and 173 pounds. To the close-minded Covey shouldn't be an NFL player and he was once famously turned away from the player parking lot at Lincoln Financial Field as a rookie because the attendant didn’t believe he was a member of the Eagles.
More so, Covey was waived at the cutdown to 53 over his first two seasons by Howie Roseman, a savvy move by the GM to manipulate roster spots while using Covey’s practice squad elevations before settling him onto the 53.
That strategy is out of rope now, however, and truthfully was last season when two teams, one being New England, wanted to sign Covey before the Provo native stayed loyal to the franchise that gave him an opportunity.
If Roseman takes a third swing at that plan, others could simply claim Covey and remove that issue.
From there, Covey’s size limits him to slot work as a receiver and the Eagles have yet to show the belief in him as a passing-game option despite a very difficult time trying to find production from a WR3 to complement A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith.
Covey will enter training camp this summer behind free-agent acquisition Parris Campbell and rookie fifth-round pick Ainias Smith in the slot despite the former having a checkered resume over his first five seasons and the latter being completely unproven at the professional level.
The desired path for most teams is to have a PR who can also contribute somewhere else and the Eagles drafted two high-level college punt returners in Smith and Iowa cornerback Cooper DeJean.
“Covey is a great option to have as a punt returner,” special teams coordinator Michael Clay said before turning toward the perceived competition. “We brought in some guys that do have some punt return abilities. As we move forward, competition usually breeds greatness. Having other guys out there, and also we get to see these guys.
“If you remember last year from preseason, we didn't have the greatest amount of numbers of punt returners, so I had to throw [CB] Zech McPhearson out there. That does him a little disservice as he hasn't done it since high school. Having all of these possible punt returners allows them to get some film, get some feel, because these guys having come from college, it's a different type of animal out there. So having them get the most reps as possible.”
The final hurdle Covey must overcome is his honesty as a person and willingness to talk about any issue, something that is often seen as a detriment by NFL teams and a role reserved for perceived stars who can get away with such things.
Despite these hurdles, don't race to bet against Covey because he’s not good by accident.
The 27-year-old attacks his role like a high-level quarterback studying defenses. Covey keeps voluminous notes on each punter and coverage unit he’s set to face and shares the tidbits with his blockers, almost like an extra special teams coach.
In the past, Covey has predicted big games and big returns in the same way he’s visualized things from film work.
Most returners are good because they have a natural aptitude for it, Covey is great because he’s got the ability with the football in his hands coupled with a Peyton Manning-like attention to detail about the next test.
“This might be the best returner in the NFL,” head coach Nick Sirianni said last November. “And he doesn't get the credit he deserves. Like, he's special. We know we have a weapon with Britain Covey.”
“And, shoot, as crazy as we were to cut him, there was 31 other teams crazy not to pick him up. And so we all make mistakes. We all make mistakes, but he is a stud."