White Kick Returners

[Don Wassall]

Watching Ed Eagan returning punts for the Giants tonight reminded me of this thread as there once again are a noticeable amount of Whites returning punts and kickoffs:

Baltimore - Michael Campanaro
Carolina - Christian McCaffrey
Cincy - Alex Erickson
Dallas - Ryan Switzer
Green Bay - Jeff Janus
Jax - Max McCaffrey
New England - Danny Amendola
NYG - Ed Eagan
San Fran - Trent Taylor

That's nine, including two brothers and Amendola, who is the only White kick returner from 2010 when this thread was started still doing it. Cooper Kupp has been mentioned as a possible kick returner for the Rams but I don't think he's returned any yet. Same with Adam Humphries. Did I miss any?

 

[Dehbashi]

No returns for Cooper but I will take a look at other teams to include

 

[Dehbashi]

I have Eric Decker with the Titans having 1 kick return in Week 2

 

[Dehbashi]

Now a list.

Brent Celek had the only KO return with the Eagles week 1 against the Redskins.

Ethan Pocic with the Seahawks had the only KO return against the Colts in Week 5.

Good old John Kuhn had a return Week 1 for the Saints against the Vikings.

I didn't check the teams you already had Don to see if any more but I think this list will help.

 

[Don Wassall]

Now a list.

Brent Celek had the only KO return with the Eagles week 1 against the Redskins.

Ethan Pocic with the Seahawks had the only KO return against the Colts in Week 5.

Good old John Kuhn had a return Week 1 for the Saints against the Vikings.

I didn't check the teams you already had Don to see if any more but I think this list will help.

In those cases it was probably an accident they had a return -- they ended up with a squib kick or an onsides kick, etc. I'm talking about those guys whose job it is to return kickoffs and/or punts.

 

[Dehbashi]

Makes sense. I was in total shock seeing only 1 return in a game but I keep forgetting with the NFL pushing the KO line has gotten touchbacks to an insane level

 

[Shadowlight]

Watching Ed Eagan returning punts for the Giants tonight reminded me of this thread as there once again are a noticeable amount of Whites returning punts and kickoffs:

Baltimore - Michael Campanaro
Carolina - Christian McCaffrey
Cincy - Alex Erickson
Dallas - Ryan Switzer
Green Bay - Jeff Janus
Jax - Max McCaffrey
New England - Danny Amendola
NYG - Ed Eagan
San Fran - Trent Taylor

That's nine, including two brothers and Amendola, who is the only White kick returner from 2010 when this thread was started still doing it. Cooper Kupp has been mentioned as a possible kick returner for the Rams but I don't think he's returned any yet. Same with Adam Humphries. Did I miss any?

Good job Don. This trend has been in the back of my mind this season and parts of last year. I can't recall so many white return men and while it is the next step down from being a WR who gets playing time I can't deny that I like seeing them out there. Of course Alex Erickson returns both kicks and punts. Along with Eagan's 20 yard punt return I noticed Taylor returned one 39 yards yesterday. Of course the headline was Campanaro's 77 yard TD sprint which is a great thing. When they take it to the house it means they keep their return duties. Janus has had few kick off returns but as usual has played exceptionally well on special teams unfortunately one of those moments was nailing Ryan Switzer on a punt return last week. Sounds crazy but I was impressed with Eagan on the fair catches. Unlike many black return men who look lost in space and bumble and fumble he looked commanding out there and sure handed.
Slim pickings I know but having some return men does take some, but not all, of the edge off.
Below is the Campanaro return. Be patient these things often take a minute or two to load.
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-cant-...chael-Campanaro-77-yard-punt-return-touchdown

 

[Shadowlight]

Probably worth keeping up with the latest stats--see below--on the punt and kick returners. Note Erickson who pulls double duty is among the league leaders in return yardage and is in the top ten yards per return department in kickoff returns. Campanaro, Amendola and Trent Taylor are 2,3,4 in yards pre return in punts. Neither McCaffrey or Switzer, who also performs double duty, have yet to make much of a mark yet. What they need are some splash returns and that will get their numbers up. Nearing half way point of season so I suspect someone will break through with some big returns and even take it to the house like Campanaro did last week. Christian's brother Max was just released and Janus did not return kicks yesterday which sucks but we can only hope for some breakthroughs in the return category as the season plods along.
http://www.espn.com/nfl/statistics/player/_/stat/returning/sort/yardsPerPuntReturn

 

[Shadowlight]

Don't look now but Ryan Switzer has jumped to 3rd on average yards per return on kick offs at 26.1. Alex Erickson is 10th with an average of 22.3.

On punt returns Campanaro is 2nd with a 14.7 average. Amendola is 4th (11.2) and Trent Taylor is 10th (9.8).

Neither Erickson or Switzer are blowing it up on punt returns but in the more explosive measuring stick of kick off returns they are both performing at a high level. Which begs the question why aren't these explosive players seeing the field more often on offense? Perhaps the Cowboys are waiting on Switzer as all indications point to them letting Beasley go after the season. As for Erickson the clueless Bengals always seem to put a lid on their white skill players. As for Beasley he is stuck in what is now becoming a major caste story. The inability of black QB's to connect with white WR"s who have proven that when they play with white QB's they excel. This is a story worth talking about.

 

[Shadowlight]

With one week left here is an update on the return men. I use the yards per return as the better measurement as long as the player has enough sufficient returns.

Punt Returns:
Camapanaro is 4th with a 11.86 average.
Trent Taylor is 10th.
Amendola is 12th.
Switzer is 13th.

Kick Returns:
Switzer is SECOND with a 25.48 average.
Alex Erickson is 12th.

It is worth noting both Campanaro and Switzer had long explosive TD punt returns. And I suspect Switzer's punt return average would have been a bit better if he wasn't so aggressive. He probably should have called for more fair catches. That said I think the Cowboys are happy they drafted him. The real question mark with Switzer is if he will ever get a fair chance to play WR. He has limitations. He is on the short side and has little length which make long pass patterns much more difficult. But he has top flight quickness and get away deep speed as witnessed by his punt return where a CB with 4.3 speed was left in the dust. Still he is strictly a slot WR that requires a quick trigger QB with pin point accuracy.That does not sound like the current Dallas QB but as I mentioned before I suspect they won't resign Beasley so it seems to me Switzer is next in line? But this is the NFL and we all know what happens far too often.