Eagles' Weapon Is Ready 'To Grab Some Attention' At WR

Britain Covey has proved to be a playmaker as a punt returner. Now he's ready to be the same at WR.

Eagles WR Britain Covey / John McMullen/Eagles on SI

PHILADELPHIA - Britain Covey is just waiting for his opportunity.

Already one of the NFL’s best punt returners, the undersized Covey is champing at the bit to help on offense as a potential slot receiver in 11 personnel.

“If I ever get those opportunities I feel so confident that I could do it and I've done it all throughout my entire career in practice, just haven't gotten many opportunities in the game,” the third-year player said after practice Tuesday.

Listed at 5-foot-8 and 173 pounds, Covey’s size has always been a concern when it comes to personnel evaluators despite being one of college football’s most dynamic playmakers at Utah.

Covey was a three-time All-Pac 12 selection and an All-American in 2021 after piling up more than 1,400 all-purpose yards and still wasn’t invited to the scouting combine, all because of his size.

This summer, Covey seems to have turned the corner a bit. He’s no longer fighting for a job after leading the NFL in punt return yardage last season and being called a weapon by his head coach Nick Sirianni.

Covey has also been getting significant first-team reps alongside stars A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith when new offensive coordinator Kellen Moore uses 11 personnel looks.

Others have been getting reps as well, including veterans Parris Campbell and John Ross and sixth-round rookie Johnny Wilson. 

Of the four battling for the role, Covey has been both the healthiest and one generating the most consistent separation. Campbell has missed time with a groin injury and Ross and Wilson are currently in the concussion protocol.

On Tuesday, Covey put highly-regarded rookie defensive back Cooper DeJean in a blender with his short-area quickness.

"You gotta get separation. I strive to get separation all the time, man, zone, whatever it is,” Covey said. “And in the slot, I feel like you got a two-way go at all times and you can be a mismatch. So I don't view being small, as a disadvantage, you almost view it as an advantage."

Quarterback Jalen Hurts has also seen it as an advantage and has lobbied for Covey to get more looks. Part of that is the chemistry the two have been able to develop in practice.

“Oh, it's huge,” Covey said of that chemistry. “Option routes are either the riskiest play in the playbook, or the most-highest completion percentage play in the playbook. … It's not a risky play if you're on the same page with the quarterback and that's why it's everyone's third down go to play, because it's like you have a four-way go, basically on an option route. 

“...If you're on the same page, how do you defend it?”

Complicating matters for Covey is Moore’s willingness to move Brown and Smith around to take advantage of potential mismatches and if either star is in the slot, that would mean Covey would have to line up outside the numbers.

And there aren’t too many 5-8 receivers outside the numbers in the NFL.

Covey isn’t shy about breaking that mold either.

“That's what I feel like I've learned the most from Smitty [DeVonta Smith]. Because it's not like he's huge, right?” Covey said. “He's playing outside. You know, I ran a 4.4 at my pro day. It's not like I'm a slow guy. 

“... Anyone in that 4.4 range I feel like you still are a threat on the outside to get vertical and, you know, grab some attention.”

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