Day after 2018 cut downs - who returns punts?

[goheels22002]

I'm amazed the Patriots let go of McCarron and Cyrus Jones with Amendola traded, Berrios on IR, and Edelman suspended.

So who fields punts?

With no receiver depth, I don't like the idea of any WRs returning punts. James White? Rex Burkhead? Patrick Chung?

Maybe they grab old friend and fellow Tar Heel Brandon Tate who was cut by New Orleans. He's an accomplished return man and would be a good depth player at WR - Brandon Tate Stats | Pro-Football-Reference.com

 

[primetime]

Guys don't actually get hurt on punt returns all that much and, if we're judging relative importance to the team versus injury risk, throwing Patterson out there is much less harrowing than Chung regardless of receiver depth.

 

[jri37]

Chung is the most reliable/sure handed return guy they have right now. Until they are comfortable with a more explosive player catching the ball, Chung sticking his hand in the air and catching a punt seems like the short term option.

 

[Bourne Again Christian]

Duke Dawson?

 

[signbabybrady]

If he were healthy I would guess Rex.

Want a more scary thought? It'll probably be Jules when he gets back.

 

[Bourne Again Christian]

If he were healthy I would guess Rex.

Want a more scary thought? It'll probably be Jules when he gets back.

Dear father

 

[Ring 6]

Chung is the most reliable/sure handed return guy they have right now. Until they are comfortable with a more explosive player catching the ball, Chung sticking his hand in the air and catching a punt seems like the short term option.

Why would they give up a play?

 

[Ring 6]

If he were healthy I would guess Rex.

Want a more scary thought? It'll probably be Jules when he gets back.

It’s always been Edelman. No reason to change that. Are we not going to let him run certain routes or tell him to fall down when he catches a pass?

 

[Family]

It will eventually be Edelman, but they have got to find a buffer.

Coming back from ACL, his age, and many games left to return punts is too much of a reasonable load.

 

[signbabybrady]

It’s always been Edelman. No reason to change that. Are we not going to let him run certain routes or tell him to fall down when he catches a pass?

Maybe I'm wrong and I know he still did it clutch situations but I thought when both were healthy they were more often going with DA.

 

[jri37]

Why would they give up a play?

Edelman is back in 4 weeks. The alternative for those 4 weeks is the risk of a turnovers, misplayed punts creating poor field position. If one of the alternatives in those 4 weeks can be trusted then I'm all for running the play as they normally would.

 

[Ring 6]

Edelman is back in 4 weeks. The alternative for those 4 weeks is the risk of a turnovers, misplayed punts creating poor field position. If one of the alternatives in those 4 weeks can be trusted then I'm all for running the play as they normally would.

Returning a punt isn’t rocket science.

 

[SammyBlueCat]

I am working on this

 

[Hyped]

Why would they give up a play?

Chris Harper, man.....Chris Harper....

Possibly cost us a Superbowl in '15....

 

[Ring 6]

Chris Harper, man.....Chris Harper....

Possibly cost us a Superbowl in '15....

So we shouldn’t return punts because there could be a fumble?
And anyone not named Edelman can’t field a punt because Harper fumbled one?
Should we not throw the ball because Brady threw an int once?

Just to be clear, you are advocating calling a fair catch in every punt because Chris Harper fumbled once?

 

[Hyped]

Returning a punt isn’t rocket science.

Sure, but only about 75 living and breathing humans on planet earth can calmly catch a high punt with the sun in their eyes and 1-2 loose gunners angling for your mid-section....

I am not sure we have one on the roster other than Chung...only because he learned from that bad "fake punt" call just before the half in in the '10 divisional round....that still kills me...

 

[Ring 6]

Sure, but only about 75 living and breathing humans on planet earth can calmly catch a high punt with the sun in their eyes and 1-2 loose gunners angling for your mid-section....

I am not sure we have one on the roster other than Chung...only because he learned from that bad "fake punt" call just before the half in in the '10 divisional round....that still kills me...

No

 

[Hyped]

So we shouldn’t return punts because there could be a fumble?
And anyone not named Edelman can’t field a punt because Harper fumbled one?
Should we not throw the ball because Brady threw an int once?

Just to be clear, you are advocating calling a fair catch in every punt because Chris Harper fumbled once?

Yes. With a caveat...of course, LOL... just when we don't have a guy that can make plays.

 

[Ring 6]

Yes. With a caveat...of course, LOL... just when we don't have a guy that can make plays.

So we should take a knee on 3rd and long to prevent turnovers too right?

 

[Hyped]

I mean...assuming the Pats D even makes stops...we would get maybe 4-5 punts a game max...and the normal return rate on those returns is about 9-10 yards *if* returned at all..

We are talking about 40-50 yards of field position over the course of a game. I think Patterson alone can recover that...