With Alex Erickson gone(thank god) who do u see returning kicks this year? Phillips as the primary punt returner and Evans returning kickoffs maybe.. Just glad we don't have to see Erickson fumbles and his 5 yard return average.

(05-09-2021, 05:38 AM)Jhowdy54 Wrote: With Alex Erickson gone(thank god) who do u see returning kicks this year?  Phillips as the primary punt returner and Evans returning kickoffs maybe..  Just glad we don't have to see Erickson fumbles and his 5 yard return average.

Solid chance that you're about to be in for a little bit of a rude awakening. Erickson was 10th in yards per punt return (10.1) last year among the 31 guys with at least 10 punt returns.

Yes he was objectively bad in 2019 (so was a lot of the Bengals team), but in 2018 he was 11th in yards per punt return (10.6) among 37 with at least 10 punt returns.

He never had homerun ability, but he was a solid punt returner. Funny thing is you mention Phillips as the PR, but he has 5 career punt returns for 32 yards, or 6.4 yards per return.


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As to your thread's question...

KR: Wilson (Why would you take him off and put Evans on when Wilson did such a good job? Got a TD last year.)
PR: Wilson, also? Honestly no clue. They don't seem to have anyone who has done well at it in the NFL, or who did it in college.

Pooka. The perfect small space ball carrier. Fast, quick, crazy change of direction skills, reads and sets up blocks very well, too.

Tyler Boyd, Darius Phillips, and Brandon Wilson are the 3 guys outside of Alex Erickson that practiced PR/KR in training camps. Outside chance of Riley Lees who has college experience.

(05-09-2021, 06:20 AM)TheLeonardLeap Wrote: Solid chance that you're about to be in for a little bit of a rude awakening. Erickson was 10th in yards per punt return (10.1) last year among the 31 guys with at least 10 punt returns.

Yes he was objectively bad in 2019 (so was a lot of the Bengals team), but in 2018 he was 11th in yards per punt return (10.6) among 37 with at least 10 punt returns.

He never had homerun ability, but he was a solid punt returner. Funny thing is you mention Phillips as the PR, but he has 5 career punt returns for 32 yards, or 6.4 yards per return.


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As to your thread's question...

KR: Wilson (Why would you take him off and put Evans on when Wilson did such a good job? Got a TD last year.)
PR: Wilson, also? Honestly no clue. They don't seem to have anyone who has done well at it in the NFL, or who did it in college.

I remember looking those stats up in the past and being genuinely shocked at how high his averages were. I guess my perception was that he rarely busted long returns, so he was a mediocre returner. While he didn’t bust long returns, he was pretty good at consistently getting those 10-ish yards.

Brandon Wilson will stay KR. He’s been fantastic and can take it to the house on occasion. PR has a chance to be one of the new guys, but Phillips has done it in the past. Possibly BW but I think they look for someone with a little more wiggle as Wilson has some great straight line speed, not sure about his wiggle.

Wilson for sure on KR.

PR I have no clue. How about Spain or Burrow?

(05-09-2021, 05:38 AM)Jhowdy54 Wrote: With Alex Erickson gone(thank god) who do u see returning kicks this year?  Phillips as the primary punt returner and Evans returning kickoffs maybe..  Just glad we don't have to see Erickson fumbles and his 5 yard return average.

I liked Alex Erickson, did the job well IMO. He was not a fumbler either.  Way better than Brandon Tate during the Marvin years.

Takes a special receiver to do KR. 

Nimble and not afraid to take punishing, high impact hits. 

I expect us to be returning a lot of punts this year, but I really only forsee about 17 kick returns. Ain't nobody scorin' on us. New Dey baby... Lou Dey!!!

Drew Sample is a legitimate possiblity.  

He was called the next Desmond Howard early on his college career but he was such a valuable weapon on offense that they had him stop playing ST's.

Here's a writeup Pete Pallywanger of Yahoo had on him in 2017...

What do you get when mix Desmond Howard with Dante Hall and sprinkle in a dash of Desean Jackson?  Washington Husky Drew Sample.  With agility and athleticism rarely seen, and the creativity to turn nothing into something, Drew Sample is poised to become the next electric college football return man.  The WR/RB/TE/Wildcat QB is the swiss army knife of pure talent.  He projects to be one of the better talents seen this century.

(05-09-2021, 10:31 AM)jfkbengals Wrote: Wilson for sure on KR.

PR I have no clue.  How about Spain or Burrow?

Wilson is a no brainer on KR, and I think Phillips or Pooka on Punts. 
Maybe Tyler Shelvin ?? 350 LBS of rolling thunder!

(05-09-2021, 12:17 PM)Wes Mantooth Wrote: Drew Sample is a legitimate possiblity.  

He was called the next Desmond Howard early on his college career but he was such a valuable weapon on offense that they had him stop playing ST's.

Here's a writeup Pete Pallywanger of Yahoo had on him in 2017...

What do you get when mix Desmond Howard with Dante Hall and sprinkle in a dash of Desean Jackson?  Washington Husky Drew Sample.  With agility and athleticism rarely seen, and the creativity to turn nothing into something, Drew Sample is poised to become the next electric college football return man.  The WR/RB/TE/Wildcat QB is the swiss army knife of pure talent.  He projects to be one of the better talents seen this century.

(05-09-2021, 05:38 AM)Jhowdy54 Wrote: With Alex Erickson gone(thank god) who do u see returning kicks this year?  Phillips as the primary punt returner and Evans returning kickoffs maybe..  Just glad we don't have to see Erickson fumbles and his 5 yard return average.

I 2nd that. He was the embodiment of average.I could always count on Erickson to run out of bounds.
The NFL is predicated on big play ability in all 3 phases
Brandon Wilson is the best KO guy in the business
But the Bengals havent had a big play PR guy since PacMan
Erickson scared no one returned except his own fans on fear he would fumble after
Getting improperly securing the ball.

I think Phillips or a no name like Jimmy Robinson could be the new guy
Anyone is.better than Erickson.
He needed perfect blocking to get any yards

(05-09-2021, 05:38 AM)Jhowdy54 Wrote: With Alex Erickson gone(thank god) who do u see returning kicks this year?  Phillips as the primary punt returner and Evans returning kickoffs maybe..  Just glad we don't have to see Erickson fumbles and his 5 yard return average.

I think there are 4 guys fighting it out 

Pooka for PR
Wilson for KR
Lees for PR & KR
Phillips for PR

^ 2 of those guys, Phillips & Wilson, make the team as position players.


To me, it comes down to Lees & Pooka as to who will be PR & backup KR. Wilson is excellent as a KR. I don't see him getting beaten out.

KR: Obviously Brandon Wilson.

PR. Open.

Of the guys on the roster, probably Phillips. Though I think Lees & Robinson have a shot to make it as WR6/PR/slot#2.

Erickson was a serviceable PR. He almost never fumbled (I recall one), which is job #1 on PRs. He even had some nice ones in big situations last year. One put us in a great spot to win a game late (which we then squandered). He was also a serviceable slot receiver who caught everything thrown to him.

I have hopes for Robinson and his 4.28 speed. Awful small, though.

Boyd is an emergency option only.

Chris Evans (KR) or Pooka may also be options. But punts are usually handled by WR/DB types, and RBs are more likely on KRs.

Tyler Shelvin!

(05-09-2021, 04:28 PM)Joelist Wrote: Tyler Shelvin!

I second this notion. He will be the modern version of Fridge Perry except also returns punts. 

Not a fan of Boyd doing any returning although believe he would be the best option for productivity.

Just feel he is too valuable of a WR for Bengals to risk like that.

Certainly Brandon Wilson is in the mix and for very good reasons.

But obviously Riley Lees was not drafted to be a star WR while only sporting 111 catches for 1,093yds in 4 years of college.

So definitely his chance relies on his ST play which certainly that's why he was drafted.

Believe if Lees makes the squad he will be doing some returning as well.

Still think Wilson remains the staple though imo.

Trayveon returned some kicks in college. It would be nice to get this criminally underutilized draft pick more involved.