Eagles Don't Have A Punt Returner Heading Into Training Camp

Philadelphia finished up spring work with no clear answer of what’s coming in September on punt returns.

Jan 4, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Britain Covey (18) runs after making a catch as Washington Commanders safety Jeremy Reaves (39) tackles during the third quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

PHILADELPHIA — Maybe the toughest job on the coaching staff when navigating between the offseason roster limit of 90 down to the initial 53 for the regular season lies with the special teams coordinator.

In Philadelphia, Michael Clay is in his sixth season heading up the third phase for the Eagles in a role that demands cobbling together a host of units before you have a real idea of who may be available to you.

Specialists may be obvious or not from year to year but coverage and return units are often populated heavily by the backups, which often makes things unsettled for the STC.

For Clay, training camp is about getting everyone ready in case they either breakthrough or are available due to circumstance.

What can’t be done is using ink for any grandiose plans.

Take the punt returner job for the Eagles.

Philadelphia finished up spring work with no clear answer of what’s coming in September.

Too Important Elsewhere

Cooper DeJean gets ready for a punt return drill during Day 6 of Eagles training camp. | Ed Kracz/Eagles on S

Three different players – Cooper DeJean, James Proche, and Elijah Moore (in that order)– took PR reps on the final day of mandatory minicamp. 

DeJean, of course, would be a great option for Clay and likely one of the best punt returners in the NFL. However, the third-year pro is also an All-Pro slot cornerback for Vic Fangio, who is a three-down player and too important to the defense as both a safety in base looks and an inside CB to make a high volume of PR reps.

Proche isn’t even currently on the 90-man offseason roster and attended minicamp as a tryout player. To date, he’s not been signed by the Eagles.

Moore, meanwhile, is a bubble player who could make a run at the 53 based on a strong spring as a manufactured touch-type of receiver. However, he’s had no real previous success as a returner at the pro or college level at Ole Miss.

Missing from the punt return work due to injuries were receivers Britain Covey and Makai Lemon, leaving open the possibility that both could factor into the competition once training camp behind in late July. However, Lemon, the team's first-round pick in April's draft, is likely in the same category as DeJean in that he's too valuable to the offense for a full-time returner role.

The unsettled nature of the competition is nothing new for Clay. 

The early returns suggest the punt return job could be fluid.

Perhaps the odds-on favorite for the role is starting Covey on the practice squad and using his three elevations early in the season before adding him to the 53 when the spot would usually take care of itself after the attrition starts in Weeks 1 to 3. That’s a tactic the Eagles have used before.

There is also the security blanket of using DeJean or star receiver DeVonta Smith in high-leverage situations if needed.