Haskins Believes the Big One is Coming

NASHVILLE – Hassan Haskins knew that special teams would be a big part of his rookie season.

It is one of the roles he has assumed that is a surprise.

The fourth-round draft pick out of Michigan became the Tennessee Titans’ kickoff return man when Trenton Cannon was injured in Week 2. The realities of in-game roster management are what put him in that spot initially. The way he has performed has kept him there.

With an average of 24.9 yards on seven returns, Haskins ranks third in the NFL headed into Sunday’s game against the Washington Commanders.

“It’s been fun and exciting, so far,” Haskins said. “I never expected to be the kick returner, but I’m glad I’m back there.”

It is understandable that Haskins did not see it coming. After all, he did not return a single kickoff during the preseason. Likewise for his four years at Michigan, where he built a reputation as a reliable performer on the coverage units.

To that end, there are some of the finer points of the new job that he has yet to master.

“We had to start slow with him, but he has improved every single week,” special teams coach Craig Aukerman said. “… Our biggest thing that we are going to continue to work with him is trying to catch the ball with forward momentum and not trying to go off to the side to catch the ball. We want to try to catch the ball with a little bit forward momentum because it's going to help out our blocks even more when that happens.”

Even if he simply maintains his current pace, it will be a step in the right direction for a team that has been mired in mediocrity since Darius Jennings led the league with a 31.7-yard average in 2018, Mike Vrabel’s first season as head coach. The Titans’ average kickoff return has dipped from 21.3 yards in 2019 to 20.2 yards the next season and 19.8 yards last fall. No one in the last three years has averaged 23 yards or more on any meaningful number of tries.

Indications are, though, that Haskins – a running back by trade – will continue to get better … and eventually might even take one (or more) back for a touchdown.

Each week, his longest return has been longer than the previous week’s. He had one (two, actually) for 20 yards in Week 2 at Buffalo. He went 29 yards with his only attempt in Week 3 against Last Vegas. And last week, he went 37 yards with one against Indianapolis (he also notched his first special teams tackle in that contest), which made him one of just 11 players this season with at least one return of more than 35 yards.

“There’s a couple of them that I felt, ‘Man, if I had done something different, I would have had it,’” Haskins said. “But the time’s coming.”

With that in mind, it is worth noting that Washington has allowed just two kickoff returns all season.

Twelve of kicker Joey Slye’s 15 kickoffs have resulted in touchbacks, but those two went for 33 and 52 yards. That is an average of 42.5 yards per return, which ranks next-to-last in the league headed into Week 5.

“I trust in my ability, and I just feel like I can get it done, and that a big, long run will turn into a touchdown,” Haskins said. “I see it coming.”

Maybe even this week.