The Eagles placed rookie safety Drew Mukuba on injured reserve on Wednesday and promoted punt returner Britain Covey from the practice squad to the 53-man roster.
Mukuba broke his ankle in the final seconds of the Eagles’ loss to the Cowboys on Sunday in Arlington, Texas. He started all 11 games and was playing well, but he will face surgery and his season could be over.
Xavier Gipson, who has been the Eagles’ primary punt returner, is dealing with a shoulder injury and is missing both practices this week and is not expected to play Friday against the Bears.
Jahan Dotson started the season at punt return, but he is averaging 33 offensive snaps per game. So when the Eagles signed Gipson on waivers after he was released by the Giants, he became the primary returner. He is averaging 10.8 yards per return.
“I’m excited to get back out there,” said Covey, who hasn’t played since the Eagles’ Week 13 win over the Ravens in Baltimore last Dec. 1.
Covey led the NFC with 14.4 yards per punt return in 2023, then missed most of last year due to a shoulder injury. The Eagles did not tender him after last season, making him a free agent. The Rams signed him, then released him after training camp, and the Eagles brought him back to the practice squad, where he has been since.
Covey’s 14.4 average in 2023 is the third-highest in franchise history (minimum of one return per team game), behind Brian Westwook (15.3 in 2003) and DeSean Jackson (15.2 in 2009).
Among Eagles with 50 or more returns, Covey’s 11.3 career average is 7th highest, behind 1940s players Ernie Steele (14.7), Steve Van Buren (13.9) and Pat McHugh (14.0), Brian Westbrook (12.8), Brian Mitchell (11.7) and Darren Sproles (11.7).
The Eagles have not placed Lane Johnson on IR, so they are expected to return from his foot injury sooner than four games later.
The Eagles also placed rookie offensive tackle Luke Felix-Fualalo on the practice squad injured reserve on Wednesday. Felix-Fualalo has been on the practice squad since August 28, the same day Covey was signed to the practice squad.
Felix-Fualalo, who is from Australia and played at Utah, spent time with the Seahawks before joining the Eagles.
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