Day after 2018 cut downs - who returns punts?

[RayClay]

They have all returned punts to in camp.


You don’t have to have experience to do well.

You don't have to have experience to muff a punt and give up a touchdown ether.

 

[RayClay]

They have all returned punts to in camp.

How did they do?

 

[Ring 6]

How did they do?

Evidently well enough that Belichick is going to use them at it.

 

[Ring 6]

You don't have to have experience to muff a punt and give up a touchdown ether.

And you can do that with experience too.

 

[RayClay]

And you can do that with experience too.

You do realize that saying you can do anything without experience is not a very good argument. Maybe someone with no experience flies a jumbo jet in an emergency. That does not mean any passenger is competent to fly jets.

Maybe they go with what they have and maybe it's not an issue, but maybe they pick someone up too.

 

[maineman209]

the normal return rate on those returns is about 9-10 yards

It might be stretching it a bit to say that 9-10 yds is "normal". Annually, there are only about 10 guys in the league who average over 9 yds per PR. The Pats have been blessed with Edelman and Amendola and great ST players and, as a team, have averaged 10+ yds/PR a couple times, but that's not really "normal".

In any case, at this point, it's really not about who will "return" punts, but about who will "handle" them. Great judgment and great hands are the main thing.

 

[ralmat55]

Not everyone can or should return punts and experienced doing it is very useful. They have a plan, and they’ll have someone back there who they’re confident can make good decisions and, most importantly, catch the ball.

My guess is before 4 pm on Saturday they’ll attempt to get one of the receivers claimed yesterday through waivers to the PS and activate Riley McCarren to return punts and be the 4th active receiver for the game.