The Philadelphia Eagles left The Big Easy with a much-needed win in Week 3, but the team didn’t escape unscathed. Philadelphia lost several offensive starters throughout the team’s tightly contested battle with the New Orleans Saints.
While Eagles star wide receiver A.J. Brown missed the last two games, Philadelphia’s wide receiver room lost two more players in Week 3. Let’s take a look at how the Eagles are going to adapt moving forward.
Eagles Lose DeVonta Smith, Britain Covey in Week 3
After learning to adjust to life without Brown, the Eagles could be forced to play without both DeVonta Smith and Britain Covey in Week 4 and beyond. Covey was injured early against the Saints, after hauling one reception for 11 yards.
According to Eagles announcer Merrill Reese, Covey has a broken bone in his shoulder and is expected to miss at least six weeks. Considering Covey was Philadelphia’s primary punt returner, and that he received more targets than Jahan Dotson, this is a notable loss.
Following Covey’s injury early in Week 3, Smith was peppered with even more targets. Yet on Smith’s seventh reception in the game, he was the target of a controversial hit from Saints rookie defensive tackle Khristian Boyd.
Neuroscientist Chris Nowinski offered his thoughts on Boyd’s questionable hit on Smith:
This unpenalized hit on DeVonta Smith that caused a traumatic brain injury needs to be discussed tomorrow.
If it's open season on the heads of defenseless players, it's going to be a long year. pic.twitter.com/0FnZtqnDDo— Chris Nowinski, Ph.D. (@ChrisNowinski1) September 23, 2024
Smith was ultimately ruled out due to a concussion, and his status moving forward is uncertain. Therefore, the Eagles could be forced to play without Jalen Hurts’ top three targets at wide receiver in Week 4 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
While the Eagles were ultimately able to overcome losing several starters due to injury in Week 3, it would be difficult to do so for an entire game.
What Is Philadelphia’s Plan at WR Moving Forward?
Philadelphia’s wide receiver trio of Brown, Smith, and Dotson was supposed to be the best unit in the NFL. After the first three weeks of the regular season, Dotson is the only healthy member of the trio remaining and has failed to impress thus far.
According to TruMedia, Dotson has run 94 total routes through Philadelphia’s first three games. Despite running the third-most routes on the Eagles, Dotson has been targeted by Hurts just three times.
Dotson has hauled in three of his five targets for just 14 yards. Considering that the Eagles traded a future third-round pick for Dotson, he’ll need to take a significant step forward with Philadelphia’s wide receiver room decimated by injuries.
SEE MORE: Philadelphia Eagles Depth Chart
Aside from Dotson, rookie Johnny Wilson is the only other wide receiver remaining on Philadelphia’s active roster. Wilson has shown flashes of dominance as a blocker, but he hasn’t made many plays as a pass catcher.
Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni was asked about Wilson’s progress during his press conference on Monday.
“I just think he’s really tough, first and foremost,” Sirianni said. “Talent is just the beginning. It’s about how tough you are if you’re going to reach your ceiling. Obviously talented and unique. He has unique traits with how big and strong he is.”
While the Eagles have continued to praise Wilson for his uniqueness since selecting him in the 2024 NFL Draft, it’s time for him to show it as a pass catcher. If Philadelphia’s top three wide receivers are out in Week 4, Wilson will likely receive the first start of his NFL career.
Considering that Covey is reportedly set to miss at least six weeks, the Eagles will likely place him on injured reserve. In that scenario, veteran WR Parris Campbell will likely be signed to Philadelphia’s active roster.
Campbell was elevated to the active roster in Week 3 and made two receptions against the Saints. In 27 total routes against New Orleans, Campbell was targeted twice by Hurts and hauled in both receptions for 13 yards.
Although the much-needed bye week is approaching in Week 5, the Eagles could be forced to play without the team’s top three wide receivers against the Buccaneers. Philadelphia’s starting wide receiver trio could be Dotson, Wilson, and Campbell down in Tampa Bay.