Eagles 2024 training camp preview: Specialists

Braden Mann

After the Eagles had finally seen enough of Arryn Siposs (way too late), they signed Mann after Week 2 and he turned in a really good season, finishing eighth in punter EPA.

He averaged 49.8 yards per punt, with a very good 43.8 net average. He could punt for distance as well as in "pin deep" situations, as he had just one touchback vs. 15 punts inside the 20.

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Mann was a free agent this offseason, but he agreed to a two-year deal. The Eagles have lost punters in free agency in the past, notably Cameron Johnston, so it wasn't a given that Mann would return, but the Eagles were able to get a deal done. There will be no punting competitions in 2024 training camp.

Rick Lovato

A list of the current, active players who were on the team during the Eagles' Super Bowl win in 2017:

1. Brandon Graham
2. Lane Johnson
3. Jake Elliott
4. Rick Lovato

Lovato threw the ball through his legs with speed and precision in 2023, as usual. Probably. I don't know, honestly. I didn't watch hours of long snapper tape. He did have more forced fumbles for the Eagles last season than Nakobe Dean, Shaq Leonard, Zach Cunningham, Kevin Byard, Reed Blankenship, Brandon Graham, Derek Barnett, Nolan Smith, James Bradberry, and Darius Slay combined.

Punt returners

Covey was arguably the best punt returner in the NFL last season, not just because of his high punt return average, but also because he's so good at preserving hidden yards. 

In the 2024 draft, the Eagles selected Cooper DeJean, Will Shipley, and Ainias Smith, all of whom were good returners in college. Could the addition of those three players put Covey's roster spot at risk, since he hasn't yet been a regular contributor in the regular offense? Eh, probably not. If you replace Covey with an unknown quantity, you risk the losing the advantage of having a top-performing punt return unit.

But also, look back at the 2020 draft, when the Eagles drafted three players with returning chops in Jalen Reagor, John Hightower, and Quez Watkins. Reagor actually has two career return TDs — one punt return TD for the Eagles in 2020, and one kick return TD for the Patriots in 2023 — but he has also been a muff machine.

Reagor has 11 career fumbles (playoffs included), most of which I assume are muffed punts since he only has 80 career receptions. Anyway, I don't think anyone would clamor for Reagor to be their return specialist.

Before his NFL career fizzled out, Hightower had one career kick return, for 17 yards. Watkins has 14 career kick returns for a paltry 14.3 yards per return. Neither have any punt return stats.

Maybe DeJean, Shipley, and Smith will all become good returners in the NFL. Maybe none of them will. Smith struggled mightily in spring practices fielding punts, so you can probably already cross him off the list to handle those duties as a rookie.

The Eagles almost made a big mistake at the conclusion of 2023 training camp when they waived Covey at 53-man cutdowns, but were somehow bailed out when the league's 31 other teams didn't recognize his impressive second half of the 2022 season and failed to claim him off of waivers. If the Eagles cut him again in 2024, he ain't clearing waivers this time.

Kick returners

There are new kick return rules this season, and it will be interesting to see how teams adapt to the changes.

In recent years I've always found kickoffs amusing. Like at the Linc for example, after a week of buildup and hype, sorting through matchups to watch, injury reports, scheme vs. scheme analysis, the tailgates, etc., each team lines up for the opening kick and the Rocky theme song is blasted throughout the stadium. One might even get a chill as the opening kick is booted away. And then it sails harmlessly through the back of the end zone, and we don't see another play for like 40 seconds, lol. Kickoffs have basically become a waste of time.

The NFL had to do something about it, and they went the drastic route. Here's a succinct explanation of the new rules:

Kickoff returners will now have heightened importance, which in the the case of the Eagles begs the question, "Who will be their kick returner?"

In 2023 it was Boston Scott, and he only got 8 opportunities to return kicks. Scott signed with the Rams in free agency this offseason. 

Isaiah Rodgers was the Colts' primary kick returner from 2020-2022, and he averaged a pretty good 27.0 yards per return over that span. Shipley will also get a hard look. And then there's Covey. Maybe he'll get a shot to return kicks in addition to punts? That'll be a fun camp battle to watch.