In Week 3 of the 2025 NFL season, the Philadelphia Eagles just couldn't seem to field a kickoff cleanly against the Los Angeles Rams.
Now granted, it's not like the Rams wanted the Eagles to field any of their kicks cleanly, as special teams coordinator Chase Blackburn seemingly committed Joshua Karty to squibbing every ball he launched like a line drive into the outfield. But even if the ball landed in the return area like a dribbler instead of a fly ball, that doesn't excuse John Metchie III and Tank Bigsby from struggling to field them cleanly, with neither returner getting more than 16 yards over their five collective returns.
Fortunately, while Michael Clay will be drilling his guys on how to return these kinds of kicks before the Eagles fly down to Tampa Bay for a battle with the Buccaneers, he will have another option to add to his kick returner rotation in Xavier Gipson, who Howie Roseman just claimed off of waivers from the New York Giants.
Initially landing with the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent out of Stephen F. Austin State University in 2023, Gipson spent parts of three seasons with the Jets to start off his NFL career, appearing in 35 games between 2023-25 while returning 44 more kicks for 1,142 yards and a 26.0 YPR average. Gipson was also a very effective punt returner for the Jets during his run with the team, bringing back 68 punts for 604 yards and a touchdown.
After losing his job with the Jets following Week 1 of the 2025 NFL season, with 2024 fifth-round pick Isaiah Davis taking over as New York's top guy, Gipson was claimed off of waivers by the New York Giants before Week 3. But after spending Sunday Night Football against the Kansas City Chiefs on the bench, he was waived once more, this time claimed by the Eagles after their own Week 3 issues while releasing Kenyon Green to open up a roster spot.
Standing 5-foot-9, 189 pounds, Gipson has never been much of an offensive weapon, catching just 27 of the 48 balls thrown his way for 268 and a touchdown over his 35 game NFL career, but as a returner, he's at least a better option than Mitchie III and maybe Bigsby, too, which is unfortunate, considering the Eagles traded two picks because they believed him to be a true weapon in the return game.
