Buckle up, Philly fans! Just when you thought the season couldn’t get any crazier, Britain Covey drops the bomb. NFL reporter Ari Meirov hit us with the news, and let’s just say, it stings worse than a bad cheesesteak!

The pint-sized WR/PR’s out for at least six weeks with a broken scapula, hitting the Injured Reserve faster than a tailgate in Philly on game day. “Eagles’ WR/PR Britain Covey told reporters he suffered a broken scapula and is expected to be sidelined for six weeks,” Meirov’s tweet read. 

Covey’s injury happened after a tackle out of bounds against the Saints. And just like that, the Eagles are down a key player. But it’s not just a Covey problem. A.J. Brown’s got a hamstring issue and DeVonta Smith’s sidelined with a concussion.

So, who’s left to catch the passes? Well, John Ross is still figuring out; Johnny Wilson’s sporting a total of just one catch so far; Parris Campbell’s rocking two catches only; and Jahan Dotson’s snagged mere three receptions. Now, if you add that up, it’s six receptions combined—as scary as a kitten in a lion’s den!

In the Saints game, the offensive performance left a lot to be desired. Dotson racked up 63 snaps and caught a three-yard pass, Campbell had 36 (finishing 2-for-13), and Wilson (bless his heart!), managed 24 snaps with a nine-yard reception. Their combined efforts led to a stat line that looked more like a typo than a game. 

Since the Eagles snagged Brown in the 2022 draft, they haven’t played a game without both him and Smith. Britain Covey’s not a household name, though, but he’s had seven catches this season, making him the second-most reliable WR. Losing him? That’d hurt. 

But please cheer up, it’s not all doom and gloom. Eagles OC Kellen Moore’s keeping the faith. “Those guys ran around, probably ran a few plays they never ran before,” he said. Talk about throwing them into the fire!

And HC Nick Sirianni’s not sweating either. “We’ll see as the week goes on who’s going to be available,” he said, exuding confidence like a QB on a game-winning drive. He believes in his WR room—hoping the underdogs will snag some big plays.

So, with Britain Covey down, who’ll step up? It’s time for the next man up to show what they’ve got. 

With Britain Covey out, who’s the next man up?

Rookie defensive back Cooper DeJean will most likely be stepping up as the new punt returner. His first attempt against New Orleans? Okayish. He snagged a modest six yards. 

Back at Iowa, DeJean was phenomenal. He averaged 16.5 yards per return in 2022. The very next year, he went off with 241 yards and a TD on 21 returns. His freshman year was pretty impressive too—Dejean logged in four tackles while mostly handling special teams duties. Against Wisconsin, the PR intercepted a pass and returned it 32 yards for a TD. You can’t sleep on those stats now, can you?

While DeJean takes on this challenge, fellow rookie Will Shipley might also get a shot at returning duties. The Clemson standout averaged a solid 25.8 yards per kickoff return. With Kenneth Gainwell handling kickoffs this season but still waiting to break the ice on punt returns, Philly’s got a bit of a conundrum.

Cooper DeJean’s itching to contribute, and if his college career’s any indicator, he’s primed for a breakout moment on special teams. Will he become the unexpected hero? Let time be the judge.