We've always had good returners and we've often had elite returners.
Andre Debose, Chris Rainey, Brandon James, Bubba Caldwell, Bo Carroll, Lito Sheppard, Quez Green, Jack Jackson, etc.
It used to be when the other team was punting or kicking off, we were excited to watch the return. A fair catch was a disappointment.
Then, after Debose left, it became stressful, not exciting. I almost expected a bobble, a drop, a fumble, a loss of yardage every time. A fair catch was a relief.
These last couple of years with Swain, at least he secured the ball. It was neither exciting nor stressful.
I have to believe there is SOMEBODY on the team with the talent to be a threat in the return game. Maybe not as good as Debose or Brandon James, but good enough to make the other team sweat; good enough to help us out with field position. We need to identify that player (or players) and get them on the field.
As far as blocks go, I would like to see the running into/roughing the kicker rule modified for these rugby style kickers that run around back there. Keep the rule the same for the guys who kick from the "pocket". The edge rushers are coming around full-speed, they know where the kicker is going to be and they can time their leaps to avoid the kicker's leg. It's a fair system. However, once you roll your kicker out of that designated safe zone and he starts juking and dancing around, I think the defense should have more leeway. I'm not trying to kill Aussies and Kiwis (we're getting one of our own), I'm just trying to make it fair to the defenders.
Alex.