Can Lightning Strike Twice For The Eagles?

Four years after Britain Covey came out of left field to be the Eagles' punt returner, another longshot could take the same path.

Eagles rookie receiver Taylor Morin. | John McMullen/Eagles On SI

PHILADELPHIA – An undrafted, undersized, productive college receiver with return ability?

If that sounds familiar, coming off the Britain Covey era in Philadelphia, perhaps a few more observers will start paying attention to unheralded rookie WR Taylor Morin, who spent six seasons at Wake Forest and signed as an UDFA this spring.

At 5-foot-11 and 185 pounds, Morin is a little bigger than Covey, who arrived to the Eagles as an UDFA out of Utah, where he was an All-American punt returner and an impactful part of the Utes’ offense.

Similarly, Morin, 24, filled up the Wake Forest record book during his six seasons with the Demon Deacons, finishing with the most receiving yards (2,974 yards) in school history, No. 2 in receptions (227) and just two shy of the Wake record, and No. 4 in receiving touchdowns (21). Morin also ranked second in career punt return yards in program history with 809.

Without Covey, who went untendered as a restricted free agent after an injury-plagued 2024 season and ultimately signed with the Los Angeles Rams, the Eagles need to decide on a path forward at punt returner.

Second-year defensive back Cooper DeJean is an outstanding returner and did a nice job replacing Covey last season. However, DeJean is an emerging star on defense, and the Eagles would prefer to keep the PR job off his plate if possible.

Perhaps using DeJean in high-leverage situations is a compromise Vic Fangio and Michael Clay could each get behind.

Also on hand is free-agent signing Avery Williams, a player who has handled both returner roles with Atlanta in the past and was brought in to potentially handle both with the Eagles. However, Williams missed the entire spring with an undisclosed injury, so the door remains open for others.

Second-year receiver Ainias Smith could also factor in, and WR3 Jahan Dotson typically keeps himself sharp by taking punt return reps.

Of all the available options, the most natural punt returner after DeJean might be Morin, who had 14 returns for 238 yards and a touchdown, averaging 17.0 yards per clip during his final season with Wake Forest. 

Lightning just might strike twice in Philadelphia with Covey’s once-unlikely baton handed off to Morin. 

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