Bucs Not Close To Returner Decision
August 21st, 2024
Second-year Bucs running back Sean Tucker.
A guy with deep knowledge of the NFL’s new kick return format, as well as the Buccaneers, was talking this week.
Joe’s referring to former Tampa Bay tight end and current successful XFL head coach of the St. Louis BattleHawks Anthony Becht.
Becht is intimate with the wacky new rules since his team lived them. That had Becht telling the JP Peterson Show that he expects kick returners likely will look bigger this season and teams will focus on guys that can break arm tackles for the role rather than pure speed demons.
So who will be the Bucs’ kick returner? Todd Bowles was asked today and noted he’s got “about three or four or five guys back there” and will make a decision going forward.
Becht, along with many NFL analysts, believe the NFL might still change the rule to place the ball on the 35 yard line if the kicking team boots the kickoff out of the end zone.
Currently, the ball is placed on the 30 yard line if there is a touchback. The NFL, allegedly, has seen that returned kicks are coming out to the 29 yard line (on average), so the league might tweak the rule to force more kicking teams to abandon kicking out of the end zone.
Yeah, the NFL wants as many kick returns as possible.
Joe likes Sean Tucker as a possible returner. He certainly looks like he can break tackles in that role, and Todd Bowles has said many times that rookie running back Bucky Irving does a great job making the first guy miss.
However, Joe thinks Irving is too valuable to the offense to risk him on kick returns. Irving could be the Bucs’ No. 1 option at running back long before Halloween if Rachaad White can’t run with authority.
August 21st, 2024 at 4:44 pm
I think if the Bucs see Kameron Johnson back there the question will be answered.
August 21st, 2024 at 4:58 pm
Joe! Buck is not replacing White in the lineup. With this new Oline White will get 1500 on the ground
August 21st, 2024 at 5:07 pm
For your sake, don’t go to Vegas and place that bet. Thank Joe later.
August 21st, 2024 at 5:29 pm
Palmer, Kam Johnson, Buc and Tuc running back kickoffs. Tuc had a very good runback on day 1 in Jax
August 21st, 2024 at 6:14 pm
Tucker is a very very basic north/south runner, which is why he’s not a real NFL caliber back and averaged more than 2-yards per carry worse than White did last year.
With that said, returning the ball, 95% of the time you just need a basic north/south runner how gets the ball and goes – doesn’t stand there waiting for something to happen or stalling while trying to read the blocks, etc.
So even not being a fan of Tucker at all – I think returner might be a good fit for him if he can reliably field the ball. If he just get its, and runs full speed ahead without hesitation, that is actually a good returner technique and while he won’t be anything special, he probably won’t hurt you either and finish middle of the pack – which is perfectly fine by me.
August 21st, 2024 at 6:56 pm
The big back thing makes sense.
August 21st, 2024 at 7:27 pm
Kam will be our punt returner. Excelled at that in college.
August 21st, 2024 at 8:22 pm
Now I thought the league wanted fewer returns because so many guys get hurt on them. Apparently NOW, they’re of the mind some training camp-meat guys can get hurt as long as the ratings are up there
August 21st, 2024 at 9:44 pm
The kickoff thing is so stupid. It’s blasphemy to the game. As had been said, onside kick is impossible now. The great end of game miracle comeback has become even more impossible.
I don’t care.
August 21st, 2024 at 10:43 pm
The new kick off is a disgrace to football. Teams are starting almost 30-40% of the way down the field on every drive. It’s lame and they should just change it back to the way it was. It takes away from one of the most exciting parts of the game.
August 22nd, 2024 at 6:27 am
Hey Joe: That photo is not RB Sean Tucker. It’s OLB Jay Person who also wears #44.
August 22nd, 2024 at 8:20 am
That is Jay Person in the picture, not Sean Tucker.
August 22nd, 2024 at 8:50 am
Love the new kickoff. Anyone that doesn’t is an old kook.
August 22nd, 2024 at 10:23 am
Beeej, have you not watched ANY football at all, this preseason, or seen/read about the thinking behind the new rules with how it actually ‘works’ NOW!? Obviously, NOT. They just didn’t want them running at full-speed with a head start from 70-yards out… THAT, was what was causing the most violent hits/collisions/injuries. They don’t get that head start NOW, & cannot start until AFTER the ball is caught by the returning team. It makes perfect sense. And, it’s very noticeable, IF you actually WATCH and think.
August 22nd, 2024 at 12:15 pm
So how do you execute an onside kick now?
August 22nd, 2024 at 12:28 pm
It can only be during the 4th Quarter now, if you are behind, DP. Other than that, I’m not sure!? Pretty sure the odds of recovery in the NFL were so low to begin with, that it was almost irrelevant. I can’t remember what the main reason for the change… Maybe, they just wanted to eliminate a ‘gimmicky’ play during the course of the first three quarters, I’m really not sure!?