Eagles Confident In Short-Handed Receiving Room After Injuries Hit Hard

The Eagles will likely be without DeVonta Smith and Britain Covey is likely headed to IR, so could A.J. Brown return or will Philly go with three backups and probably a practice squad elevation?

Britain Covey gets ready to make a catch as Philadelphia Eagles teammates, from left to right, Johnny Wilson, Parris Campbell, A.J. Brown, and Joseph Ngata, look on during the final day of mandatory minicamp on June 6, 2024. / By Ed Kracz

PHILADELPHIA – In a perfect world, the Eagles would probably prefer to give A.J. Brown another week off to get his ailing hamstring right, especially with the bye on the other side of Sunday’s game in Tampa against the Buccaneers.

The NFL isn’t the perfect world and injuries happen, and they certainly did for Philly’s receiving corps in their 15-12 win over the Saints on Sunday.

Britain Covey went out with a shoulder injury after seven snaps and is expected to miss at least six weeks. DeVonta Smith went out early in the fourth quarter and entered concussion protocol.

The Eagles were able to cobble together a patchwork group of pass catchers, with Jahan Dotson, Parris Campbell, and rookie Johnny Wilson, and got explosive, fourth-quarter plays from Saquon Barkley and Dallas Goedert to grab the win in New Orleans.

That hardly seems like a recipe for success over the courses of a 60-minute football game waiting for them this weekend.

“It was a really cool example of guys being able to play adjustment football,” said offensive coordinator Kellen Moore on Tuesday. “Those guys probably ran a few plays they really never ran necessarily other than watching other guys run them in a number of weeks.

"So, for them to be able to hop in there and play those adjustments and line up in the different positions they probably didn’t anticipate lining up in and being able to execute those plays…”

The OC left his thought there, then went into how well Dotson did on mesh patterns, which had been the job of Smith before he went out after a brutal hit from behind after his forward motion had been stopped.

Eagles WR Jahan Dotson / Ed Kracz/Eagles on SI

Dotson will have to do more in Week 4. So will Campbell, who is likely to be added to the 53-man roster when Covey gets placed on injured reserve, and Wilson.

Brown? Well, we’ll see how the week goes on if he is able to practice even in a limited fashion.

“We feel really confident, comfortable with those guys, especially if you give them a few extra days and they can kind of keep continuing to develop and handle all the different adjustments through a game plan, we feel very fortunate to have those guys,” said Moore.

The Eagles also have practice squad possibilities such as Danny Gray, Kyle Philips, and Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint. Again, a troubling recipe for success in a 60-minute football game.

“We'll see who is going to be available,” said head coach Nick Sirianni. “We'll plan for everything. Like I said from the very beginning, I really have a lot of faith in that wide receiver room.

“…I know Jahan hasn't had a ton of catches, but I think he's been playing efficient football. And sometimes it's just a matter of seeing it, and then going out there and planning some more things for him and doing some more things to get the ball in his hands.

“And then we have some practice squad guys that are working hard. We’ll see how this all plays out. But I have a lot of faith in the (receiver) room.”

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