Eagles' Draft Preview: Specialists

The Eagles could use some help at punter and in the return game
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The Eagles are set at placekicker with Jake Elliott coming off a Pro Bowl-level season and long snapper where veteran long snapper Rick Lovato is still at the top of his game, but the organization does need to add some competition at punter for Arryn Siposs, who tailed off badly after a solid start during his first professional season.

The Eagles would also like improvements in the return game on both sides of the ball when it comes to returns and coverage responsibilities.

One of the somewhat hidden issues with the 2021 version of the Eagles was Michael Clay’s special teams units. The obvious part to that was Siposs, the 29-year-old ex-Australian Rules footballer, who looked like a real find until things went off the rails in the second half of the season.

The gross numbers – 43.9 yards per punt – look fine but Siposs was near the bottom of the league with a 38.7 net, the far more important metric. What’s worse is Siposs was dead last in both categories over the final six weeks, an indication that the 18-game season with the playoffs mixed in wore on Siposs.

The punter was just one part of the equation, however, as the team’s coverage was comfortably in the bottom half – No. 24 in punt coverage and even worse on kickoffs (No. 28).

One of the underrated losses the Eagles suffered in the 2020 offseason was safety Rudy Ford, who is one of the best coverage players in the league when healthy. 

The team also moved away from Craig James, who is also very good at it and the results weren’t there to the point waiver-wire pickup Andre Chachere, who was a lot like Siposs – good early before faltering late – was replaced as one of the punt gunners by Josiah Scott.

As far as the return game, the Eagles only brought back 67 kicks all season, 34 kicks, and 33 punts so exactly 2.0 kickoffs per game and just under that for punts. In other words, it’s not nearly as important as it once was but it would be nice to have a playmaker when an opportunity presents itself.

The embattled Jalen Regaor was the predominant returner in both phases and did break off a 44-yard KR and a 39-yard PR, showing off his athleticism but there are just too many poor decisions to move forward in that direction again.

Other KRs were looked at, but Quez Watkins didn’t show the power or reckless abandon you need to return kicks while Kenny Gainwell and Boston Scott were just stopgaps when the other avenues went south.

The best KR on the Eagles is Jason Huntley but he needs to prove worthy of earning a 53-man spot at RB to be an option for Clay.

On punts, Reagor again made too many poor decisions and Greg Ward is a ball-security option first and foremost.

The interesting signing of Olympian Devon Allen could be an effort to find an explosive returner while developing him at WR.

The draft features the best punting prospect – San Diego State’s Matt Araiza – since at least Michael Dickson in 2018, who was a fifth-round pick of Seattle. Some scouts have labeled Araiza as the best overall punting prospect since Hall of Famer Ray Guy, who was a first-round pick by the Oakland Raiders in 1973.

The game has changed so much since Guy’s era, however, that no punter, no matter how dominant, will be considered that high due to the proliferation of aggressiveness on fourth downs. The real benchmark for Araiza is probably Bryan Anger, who was a third-round selection in 2012.

Needless to say, the Eagles aren’t spending that kind of draft capital on a punter but they do have three fifth-round picks where a luxury might be considered. The far more likely route is a priority undrafted free agent to compete with Siposs, perhaps Noth Carolina State’s Trenton Gill, or Illinois’ Blake Hayes.

The Eagles have also done a lot of homework on Houston cornerback Marcus Jones, who doubles as a dynamic return presence.

EAGLES SPECIALISTS DEPTH CHART:

PK - Jake Elliott

P - Arryn Siposs

LS - Rick Lovato

PR - Jalen Reagor, Greg Ward, Devon Allen

KR - Jalen Regaor, Boston Scott, Kenny Gainwell, Devon Allen

EAGLES TODAY TOP 5 Punters:

1. Matt Araiza, San Diego State

2. Jake Camarda, Georgia

3. Jordan Stout, Penn State

4. Trenton Gill, North Carolina State

5. Blake Hayes, Illinois

EAGLES TODAY TOP 5 Kickers:

1. Cade York, LSU

2. Cameron Dicker, Texas

3. Gabe Brkic, Oklahoma

4. Nick Sciba, Wake Forest

5. Jonathan Garibay, Texas Tech

-John McMullen contributes Eagles coverage for SI.com's Eagles Today and is the NFL Insider for JAKIB Media. You can listen to John, alongside legendary sports-talk host Jody McDonald every morning from 8-10 on ‘Birds 365,” streaming live on YouTube. John is also the host of his own show "Extending the Play" on AM1490 in South Jersey. You can reach him at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or on Twitter @JFMcMullen


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John McMullen
JOHN MCMULLEN

John McMullen is a veteran reporter who has covered the NFL for over two decades. The current NFL insider for JAKIB Media, John is the former NFL Editor for The Sports Network where his syndicated column was featured in over 200 outlets including the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, and Miami Herald. He was also the national NFL columnist for Today's Pigskin as well as FanRag Sports. McMullen has covered the Eagles on a daily basis since 2016, first for ESPN South Jersey and now for Eagles Today on SI.com's FanNation. You can listen to John, alongside legendary sports-talk host Jody McDonald every morning from 8-10 on ‘Birds 365,” streaming live on YouTube.com. John is also the host of his own show "Extending the Play" on AM1490 in South Jersey and part of 6ABC.com's live postgame show after every Eagles game. You can reach him at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or on Twitter @JFMcMullen