Getty RB Kenny Gainwell celebrates with QB Gardner Minshew after a rushing TD in a 2022 preseason game vs. Cleveland.
The Philadelphia Eagles know which player will be out there to return the opening kickoff in Week 1. They also know who will field the game’s first punt. They just aren’t ready to clue in the Detroit Lions on those plans.
Not yet. File the tight-lipped decision under what Eagles special-teams coordinator Michael Clay called “competitive advantage.” Despite the secrecy around punt returner, Clay was willing to reveal a few candidates: Quez Watkins, Kenny Gainwell, Boston Scott, and Avonte Maddox were on the tip of his tongue.
“We have enough guys where we feel comfortable enough when push comes to shove and we want to get out there and get some returns, we have enough guys out there,” Clay told reporters. “We’ll keep it for the competitive advantage for the most part. In my mind, I know who is going to be out there the first punt return.”
While Clay wouldn’t name names, the 31-year-old did go on record saying what kind of player he wants back there. The punt returner needs to be fast and twitchy. He also needs to be able to make the first guy miss.
“In this league, there are gunners out there that run 4.3,” Clay said. “They are going to make some guys miss on the outside, but if they make the first one miss and we get a next-level block, that 10 yards turns into a 20-yard return. So, making the first guy miss, catching the ball, and just giving that extra juice that may help propel the team to some momentum swings.”
The latest Eagles news straight to your inbox! Join the Heavy on Eagles newsletter here!
Don’t Forget About Britain Covey
Britain Covey was a camp darling, a guy who looked sneaky fast at slot receiver and on punt returns. The undrafted rookie got a ton of reps returning punts this summer so it wouldn’t be a total shock to see him out there. Covey did set the school record in career punt return yards at Utah with 1,092.
Britain Covey’s 2nd score of the night…. a 65-yard punt return.
The junior nears 2500 career all-purpose yards and the #Utes are rolling.
Covey remains on the practice squad so he would have to be called up to the active roster prior to Week 1. Clay skirted the question when asked what Covey showed him in practices.
“There are plenty of guys I like on our practice squad,” Clay said. “Not just Britain [Covey], but other guys on the practice squad that help us get ready for the game. I know to lean on them just in case something happens all the way up until Sunday, which has happened before, where you have to wait for a guy at the last minute, but he’s ready to go.”
Britain Covey is always very smooth in punt return drills.
Andre Dillard Officially Hits Injured Reserve
It was previously reported that Andre Dillard would miss four to six weeks with a broken forearm. The Eagles made the move official by placing him on injured reserve. That means there is an extra roster spot on the 53 if they wanted to call up Covey or another practice squad player (see: Olympic hurdler Devon Allen) to return punts. The Eagles open the regular season in Detroit on Sunday, September 11 at 1 p.m.
Meet Devon Allen, the Next ELITE GUNNER in Punt Coverage
Devon Allen was one of the BIGGEST winners from last night’s preseason game, fingers crossed Devon Allen makes this roster because he is ELECTRIC on special teams