Top Five Candidates to be the Vikings' Punt Returner in 2020
The Vikings have room for improvement in numerous facets of the game as they head into the 2020 season. One unheralded area where they could get better is on punt returns, and there are quite a few players who could step up in that role.
For much of the last decade, the Vikings have been among the top teams in the NFL when it comes to punt return average. They finished atop the league in that statistic in 2013 and have ranked in the top eight in six of the last seven seasons.
Almost all of that success can be attributed to the consistency of Marcus Sherels, who returned more punts than any player in the league during the 2010s. Sherels was the Vikings' primary punt returner from 2011 to 2018, averaging an impressive 10.3 yards per return over that span and scoring five touchdowns, second only to Devin Hester.
With Sherels gone for most of last season – he signed with the Dolphins but came back to Minnesota briefly late in the year – the Vikings' punt return game fell off in a major way. Their average yards per return fell from 10.9 in 2018 to 6.8 last year, which ranked 21st in the NFL. The team's longest punt return of the season was just 23 yards.
Table: Vikings punt return average and NFL rank, 2013-2019
| 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Yards per punt return | 15.2 | 11.0 | 9.1 | 10.4 | 9.5 | 10.9 | 6.8 |
NFL rank | 1st | 6th | 13th | 8th | 7th | 6th | 21st |
Sherels, who turns 33 in September, is now a free agent who is reportedly considering retirement. Even if he does remain in the NFL, it won't be with the Vikings. Minnesota has a number of players on the roster who could step up in that role, and it's an area where special teams coordinator Marwan Maalouf would like to see improvement.
"I'd really love to see our punt return phase kind of come together a little more," Maalouf said during a media session on Wednesday. "Our return phases need to contribute a little bit more to our field position."
Here are five players who could emerge as the Vikings' primary punt returner in 2020.
K.J. Osborn
One of the main reasons why the Vikings drafted Osborn out of Miami in the fifth round this year was his experience and success as a punt returner. Last season, Osborn's 15.9 yards per return ranked third in the NCAA FBS among all players with double-digit attempts. Across his entire college career with Miami and Buffalo, Osborn averaged 12.1 yards on 49 punt returns.
"He gets downhill very quickly [and] has a knack for catching the ball," Maalouf said of the rookie receiver. "You can see his explosiveness, his vision and anticipation. Before he catches the ball, he's got his eyes scanning. I'm really looking forward to getting together with him."
Osborn – who has a firm build at 5'11", 203 pounds to go with 4.48 speed – should probably be considered the favorite to win the job at this point.
Mike Hughes
The most experienced NFL punt returner on the Vikings' roster is Hughes, their first-round pick in 2018. He handled a couple returns as a rookie and took over that role with Sherels gone last year, averaging a modest 7.4 yards on 14 returns. During his 2017 season with UCF, Hughes averaged 16.6 yards per return and took one back for a touchdown.
"I think Mike was getting really, really good, especially towards the end of the season," Maalouf said. "You could kind of see his returns, 15 yards or more, closer towards the end of the season. Remember, he missed those first six games due to injury. Took him a little while to get the hang of it and he was trending in the right direction, which is good."
Maalouf is right. After returning from the ACL injury he suffered in 2018, Hughes averaged just 4.2 yards on his first nine punt returns of last season. That average jumped up to 13.2 on his last five returns, including gains of 17 and 23 yards.
The reason why I think Osborn is the favorite over Hughes has to do with the roles they are projected to have outside of special teams. While Osborn is deep down the depth chart at receiver, Hughes is expected to be the team's No. 1 cornerback. They might not want to risk him getting injured while returning punts, especially given that he's already had one major injury during his NFL career.
Justin Jefferson
It was a bit of a surprise to hear Maalouf mention Jefferson as a possibility to return punts in 2020. That's not something the Vikings' first-rounder did much of during his career at LSU.
"He's definitely going to be back there to catch punts [in practice], Maalouf said. "I think the more options we have – we've talked to coach [Zimmer] possibly about putting two guys back there, depending on who we play. He could possibly be one of those guys."
Jefferson's athleticism and speed in the open field could theoretically translate well to the return game. However, like Hughes, he's expected to have a big role this season. I'd be surprised to see Jefferson returning punts during the regular season, but it sounds like that's a legitimate possibility.
Bralon Addison
The three players above were the only ones mentioned by Maalouf during his Zoom press conference on Wednesday, but there are several other players on the roster who could factor into the competition. Addison, a former CFL star who the Vikings signed in January, averaged 12.2 yards per return during his career at Oregon, including three touchdowns. He's a long shot to make the roster, but his ability on special teams could give him a chance.
Chad Beebe
Beebe had the second-most punt returns for the Vikings during the regular season last year, averaging 6.6 yards on seven attempts. His injury history makes him another player who will need to impress in training camp and the preseason to make the team.
Other candidates: Bisi Johnson, Kris Boyd, Dillon Mitchell, Quartney Davis
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