RB as a punt returner?

[TJFord]

Seriously, we are not even thinking about having him return punts are we? I just can't imagine drafting a guy number 1 and then putting him back to return punts or kicks. Would we really want 11 guys getting a head start to destroy our best player?

[Haams]

Of course he won't return punts in the pro's. He's what 5'10"? about 170lbs.? I'll tell you who could return kicks though. His first name is Vince...

[Frills]

Originally Posted by Haams

Of course he won't return punts in the pro's. He's what 5'10"? about 170lbs.? I'll tell you who could return kicks though. His first name is Vince...

hahaha

Superman has arrived...in Tenn

[Dunta_23]

I dont see why he wouldnt see some punt return action...He is explosive...Steve Smith Returns punts...you but your best players out to make plays...and if he is there he will probably force shorter punts for fair catches or kicks out of bounds...which helps with field position.

[TheOgre]

Buchanon was a fantastic punt returner his first couple of years in the league. It would be nice if he could contribute somethink for this team. That would be better than nothing I guess.

[Big B Texan Fan]

If Bush is returning punts when the game isn't on the line for any team, then they're making either a mistake or they've made an observation in Training Camp and understand that's all he's good at in this League.

[tulexan]

A lot of teams have marquee players returning punts. Punt returns are not as dangerous as kick returns.

If Bush is the best punt returner that we have on the team, I don't know why we wouldn't have him return punts.

[Huge]

Buchanon's 8.4 average would've put him in the top 15 in the league had he had enough returns to qualify.

I'd rather see him get knocked out on a return than Bush.

[Señor Stan]

[miketyson] Ya'll are a bunch of scared cowards [/miketyson]

Dieon Sanders used to return punts and he was the NFL's premier shutdown corner at the time. The reason you don't see a lot of RBs returning punts is probably because there are other guys on the team that can do it better.

Reggie has even said himself that returning punts is his favorite part of the game. I don't think it is any more dangerous than any other part of the game. He doesn't have to worry about a 300 pounder falling on him.

If he is willing I say turn him loose and let Reggie be Reggie.

[CITY CAT]

He definetliy won't be returning kicks with Jerome Mathis back there. Does Mathis return punts? If so, then it would be absolutely stupid to have Bush back there.

[cap1]

Originally Posted by Señor Stan

[miketyson] Ya'll are a bunch of scared cowards [/miketyson]

Dieon Sanders used to return punts and he was the NFL's premier shutdown corner at the time. The reason you don't see a lot of RBs returning punts is probably because there are other guys on the team that can do it better.

Reggie has even said himself that returning punts is his favorite part of the game. I don't think it is any more dangerous than any other part of the game. He doesn't have to worry about a 300 pounder falling on him.

If he is willing I say turn him loose and let Reggie be Reggie.

If we draft Reggie and he is the best at returning punts then we should use him there.

Originally Posted by CITY CAT

[He definetliy won't be returning kicks with Jerome Mathis back there. Does Mathis return punts? If so, then it would be absolutely stupid to have Bush back there.

Mathis didn't look to good returning punts, but I don't think he did it before he came to Houston. He could become effective there if he gets more practice at it.

[Scooter]

if (despite my protest) we got bush and he were able to break one on a punt return, we'd by default have the best special teams in the league. from the few reports on it that i saw (i didnt bother to watch the game), they wouldnt even kick to mathis in the probowl and when they did he brought it back 50 yards. one big return from bush after the hype received, and i think we'd see like dunta23 said, a lot of kicks short & out of bounds to avoid him being daunte hall of '04. what's a coach to do with bush and mathis licking their chops on the other end?

i'd ofcourse let him return punts though because his strength is open field running. 1 good block and he's in his element, as opposed to a perfectly sealed toss, screen, or cutback (none of which we've executed) as a running back. jj moses was the smallest guy on the field and took the jacksonville cheapshot without pause. bush would be just as likely to be injured as a wr as he would a punt returner.

[cap1]

Originally Posted by Scooter

if (despite my protest) we got bush and he were able to break one on a punt return, we'd by default have the best special teams in the league. from the few reports on it that i saw (i didnt bother to watch the game), they wouldnt even kick to mathis in the probowl and when they did he brought it back 50 yards. one big return from bush after the hype received, and i think we'd see like dunta23 said, a lot of kicks short & out of bounds to avoid him being daunte hall of '04. what's a coach to do with bush and mathis licking their chops on the other end?

i'd ofcourse let him return punts though because his strength is open field running. 1 good block and he's in his element, as opposed to a perfectly sealed toss, screen, or cutback (none of which we've executed) as a running back. jj moses was the smallest guy on the field and took the jacksonville cheapshot without pause. bush would be just as likely to be injured as a wr as he would a punt returner.

That is a good point. I didn't even think about that.

[Señor Stan]

Mathis didn't look to good returning punts, but I don't think he did it before he came to Houston. He could become effective there if he gets more practice at it.[/quote]

I think Mathis' strength in kickoffs is his flat out straight line speed. Hit an opening and it's off to the races. Punt returning would allow Bush to create and make the big plays the Texans would be drafting him for.

Punt returning would also give him about 4 or 5 extra touches per game.

[ToroFan]

I don't think they should put Reggie Bush as a punt returner...Too many bad things could happen when guys are going full blast down the field to expose a player drafted number one overall (i.e. cheap shots, missed blocking assignments, etc..). The worst possible scenario is what happened to Kellen Winslow II (before the accident). He broke his leg doing punt coverage. In this age when the salary cap is such a constrainst, you can't afford to pay somebody that much to return kicks... Too much risk exposure...

[stevo3883]

Originally Posted by ToroFan

I don't think they should put Reggie Bush as a punt returner...Too many bad things could happen when guys are going full blast down the field to expose a player drafted number one overall (i.e. cheap shots, missed blocking assignments, etc..). The worst possible scenario is what happened to Kellen Winslow II (before the accident). He broke his leg doing punt coverage. In this age when the salary cap is such a constrainst, you can't afford to pay somebody that much to return kicks... Too much risk exposure...

KII broke his leg on an onside kick i believe.

[TreWardTxn]

The only guy I can ever think of that was an actual player at another position to get seriously injured returning punts was Jason Sehorn. I think if you do draft RB, you have got to let him return at least half the punts, he's too good at it, and wouldn't get enough touches in a game otherwise.

[YoungTexanFan]

It would be a competition between bush and buchanon. IF (and i do not support drafting him) we were to draft him, I would feel better if he didnt do it. However, that is probally the only thing he will be above the league average in, and he seems to enjoy it. Mathis will be ok, but not good. He is a sprinter, Buchanon and RB are the shifty and quick hipped guys. The later are the guys you want returning punts.