Richard Sherman And Punt Returns
December 23rd, 2021
Bucs CB Richard Sherman.
Now maybe this is a whole lot of nothing but it still makes you wonder.
Are the Bucs, with a clear goal of repeating as champions foremost in their minds, losing patience with ineffective, ice-skating rookie return man Jaelon Darden?
Joe’s good friend Rock Riley was out at practice today shooting video. Of course, media is only allowed roughly a 30-minute window into practice. This often is limited to warmups and individual drills, and sometimes a little bit of special teams work.
Today was one of those special teams-viewing opportunities.
And who does Rock see returning a punt? Wily old veteran Richard Sherman.
Now Joe isn’t sure if Sherman was just fooling around (very possible) and jumped in to show teammates he still has it, but it does make Joe wonder if Bucs coaches are open-minded to testing other players as a punt returner?
Sherman returned four punts with Seattle early in his career. And he was good at the job during his 2009 season at Stanford, including a touchdown return.
There is no way to sugarcoat it. Darden’s numbers, especially as a punt returner, are just downright poor. They are not close to the numbers of the guy he replaced, Jaydon Mickens. To be blunt, Joe has to wonder if Darden is putting out tape so he can land a job with the Tampa Bay Bandits this spring?
Darden needs a lot of work. The Bucs have a lot invested in him so he’s going to be on the team. And Bucs Super Bowl-winning coach Bucco Bruce Arians likes him. That holds a lot of weight.
For a team now saddled with significant offensive injuries, you have to wonder how long the Bucs will be content with virtually no production from the return game?
Field position is going to be even more critical with Chris Godwin done for the year, Playoff Lenny is gone for the regular season and who knows when Mike Evans can get back on the field.
Generally, teams with a Super Bowl circled on their to-do list don’t have the luxury of handing guys time to develop.
#GoBucs Richard Sherman testing out his Achilles. Saw Sherman jump in and return a punt today as well. pic.twitter.com/BGIliP6dIu
— rock riley (@realrockriley) December 23, 2021
December 23rd, 2021 at 1:08 pm
I’d rather see Vita Vea return punts then watch Darden trip over ghosts.
December 23rd, 2021 at 1:14 pm
I’d rather see Darden trip over ghosts than Sherman pull his hammy
December 23rd, 2021 at 1:19 pm
let Tommy return the punts! he’s got moves!
December 23rd, 2021 at 1:23 pm
With Godwin on ice for the rest of the season maybe we should pick up a veteran returner if there is one available
December 23rd, 2021 at 1:28 pm
I still to this day don’t understand why we don’t pounce on returners that have proven themselves. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve watched this organization pass on Devin Hester. All that dude did was go on to continue to produce great returns and at least a TD a year. Clearly, we absolutely suck oat drafting or finding a rookie returner. That has been the case regardless of who is coach or GM. Dangle a 5th or 6th round pick to a team not going anywhere and get somebody. The guy that can be successful does not currently exist on this roster. Darden is comical at this point. I literally laugh at him. Like if there is only one space to go to get tackled, that’s where he dives. GTFOH
December 23rd, 2021 at 1:30 pm
LOL!
December 23rd, 2021 at 1:33 pm
Posey — genius idea! Not sure he can catch though.
December 23rd, 2021 at 1:33 pm
I like Bruce Arians a ton, but his loyalty, ego, allegiances in this sorta ride or die fashion – I just don’t get. His undying loyalty to Leftwich for example is, in a word, annoying. I don’t think it helps anyone. This Darden thing as well and how much he likes the guy – just another example. Darden is not an NFL player. The fact is that the Bucs spent a 4th rounder on him and they don’t wanna look like idiots. If he was an FA pickup, he’d be gone period point blank
December 23rd, 2021 at 1:44 pm
Could be worse. Remember how Dirk Koetter just wouldn’t give up on Mollie Hamster?
December 23rd, 2021 at 1:47 pm
Darden hasn’t done all that well returning punts but the blocking has also been atrocious not alot of returners can get any return when they have the opposing team right in their face as they catch the ball need to start with replacing the special teams coach because special teams all around is just terrible.
December 23rd, 2021 at 2:03 pm
you nailed it joe…
the kid is on ice skates out there…
if mickens was available he’d of been back a couple weeks ago
December 23rd, 2021 at 2:11 pm
umm……well we do have AB…
he should return punts in the playoffs…
or at least deliver uber eats around redington shores
December 23rd, 2021 at 2:17 pm
He is even worse as a kickoff returner. Now kickers are kicking short of the end zone because he has been no risk as a kickoff returner.
32nd out of all kickoff returners with over 10 attempts.
Kene Nwangwu 37.2
Tremon Smith 29
Tony Pollard 28.8
Braxton Berrios 28.7
Isaiah Rodgers 25.5
DeAndre Carter 25.4
Khalil Herbert 25.2
Byron Pringle 25
C.J. Board 24.8
Andre Roberts 24.7
Gunner Olszewski 24.7
Devin Duvernay 24.6
Isaiah McKenzie 24.3
Jakeem Grant 24.2
Godwin Igwebuike 23.9
Jamal Agnew 23.9
Cordarrelle Patterson 23.7
Deonte Harris 23.6
Jaydon Mickens 23.3
DeeJay Dallas 22.8
Ray-Ray McCloud 22.4
Rondale Moore 22.4
Brandon Wilson 22.4
Jalen Reagor 21.3
Avery Williams 21.2
Anthony Schwartz 21.1
Ameer Abdullah 20.8
Trenton Cannon 20.5
Jalen Richard 20.4
Kylin Hill 19.9
Kenyan Drake 19.2
Jaelon Darden 18.9
December 23rd, 2021 at 2:17 pm
Like the poster above me said, AB…I also think I wouldn’t mind seeing Perriman as kickoff returner, he has the speed that if a crease opened he could house it.
December 23rd, 2021 at 2:21 pm
Darden is the #16 ranked punt returner.
If you think he sucks, you’re fake news.
Truth is, been saying it all year, kick returners, across the board, are not very good right now. The NFL is trying to kill the kick returns because they cause big hits, and women don’t like big hits, and the NFL thinks getting women to watch a sanitized version of flag football is how they grow even bigger. Because of the NFL trying to kill returns, returns, across the board, are down.
Meanwhile the dolts in the comments all just repeat what some idiot on the radio says like its their original take.
December 23rd, 2021 at 2:44 pm
I keep hoping to see something positive from Darden, but I keep getting disappointed. GOBUCS!
December 23rd, 2021 at 2:47 pm
Rod,
My eyes tell me that Darden lets a lot more balls hit the ground instead of fair catching them or catching them and running.
I do not follow every team so do not know if this is happening throughout the league or not. My memory just tells me that he lets that happen a lot more than the punt returners we had on the Bucs in the last 5 years.
Any stats on that, I could not find any?
December 23rd, 2021 at 2:53 pm
Vea as a returner would be AWESOME!
Imagine having to hit that monster head on! 😊
December 23rd, 2021 at 2:56 pm
mollie hamster hahahahahaha
December 23rd, 2021 at 3:43 pm
Scooter?
December 23rd, 2021 at 3:45 pm
With the shortage of wr’s I wouldn’t put Perriman in for ko’s or punts. I’m still can’t figure out why Darden’s even on the roster 7 we left Mickens go. BA has this thing about loyalty. I don’t know why. Come to think of it why is Howard taking up a roster spot?
December 23rd, 2021 at 3:50 pm
The game is still moving to fast for Darden…..surprised we don’t throw AB out there, he’s probably the quickest player we have in short space.
December 23rd, 2021 at 4:28 pm
Asg — fine point about the (lack of) blocking on the “special” teams.
December 23rd, 2021 at 4:28 pm
Ash
December 23rd, 2021 at 5:16 pm
geno711 – First off, I respect anyone that actually bothers to look up numbers. I will say ESPN has him at 26th on kick returns, and prior to Sunday he was at 20th I thought, but maybe it was 22nd. He dropped in any case. In punt returns, as stated, they have him at 16th, obviously removing all the people that don’t qualify.
I don’t think he’s anything special, and going back and watching his college tape and looking at his numbers, what it told me was that he wasn’t going to be anything special in the return game. He only returned in college for one year, it’s not like he did it a ton. Why the Bucs took him as a return man is beyond me. I’m sure they think his quickness would help make him a good returner, but I think you’re better off getting dedicated returners. Personally I wanted the Bucs to sign Patterson over the offseason, what a signing that would be, a 3rd down back who can catch the ball and a top return man.
But the Bucs have never spent resources on the return game, which I just don’t get. You’re going to sign a $3m punter who was last in the league in NET punting average, yet they won’t spend anything to get a returner, they just want a WR or RB to do that as an extra job.
However, with that said, Darden is a rookie, he’s obviously being told not to run side to side, to run north and south, and people are asking why it looks like he’s running into guys. I think it’s obvious why, the coaches are telling him not to try to make plays, just get whatever yards are available and don’t fumble the ball. Also, frankly, I don’t think Darden is as fast or quick as his numbers show. Again, after the draft, going back and looking at his tape, personally I didn’t see much. I expected to see a guy running away from lower level talent at North Texas, but he wasn’t. He looked good, but based on the way they spoke about him, I was expecting a super quick guy, and that’s not him. Longterm, if he makes it in the NFL, it will be as a WR-only type of talent. That’s my opinion anyways.
December 23rd, 2021 at 5:23 pm
I still say Le’veon Bell should return if he’s on the roster
December 23rd, 2021 at 7:00 pm
Sherman punt returner. Scottie Miller fullback. Ode to The Medicated One.
December 23rd, 2021 at 8:56 pm
I say Vaughn, Bucs can’t afford to lose another receiver. What is the status on Gio? Is he done for the season?
December 23rd, 2021 at 11:02 pm
Tbtb12 Says:
December 23rd, 2021 at 5:23 pm
I still say Le’veon Bell should return if he’s on the roster
Apparently, he lost a step a couple-three years ago
December 24th, 2021 at 5:42 am
I nominate OJ ‘6MIL Mistake’ Howard.
Go Bucs!