I'm not sure about the Drummond acquisition.
 

I'd feel a lot better if Drummond was productive on the field outside of just special teams, but he's not. He provides a good returner in both aspects (kick and punt), but that's it.

It'd be hard to imagine anybody doing a better job of returning punts this preseason than Justin Phinisee. Randolph has done quite well, but Phinisee has just been electric just about every single time. He's averaging double-digits in return yards, which is sick. And again, Randolph's done quite good as well.

Meanwhile, nobody's looked good returning kickoffs. But you'd have to assume that either kid could learn.

But neither of these young guys contribute to the field either, so if you're going to keep a player that can't contribute outside of returning, why keep an injured vet that'll last us three-four years when we could have a good young buck that could last us eight to ten? We're rebuilding.

Just a thought. Maybe it's the fact that neither's looked good returning kickoffs that we acquired Drummond.

Stupid question time.

What the difference in returning a punt vs returning a kickoff?

Phinisee was in on 5 or 6 tackles playing with the starters against the Saints.

I would have rather gone with him.

You're catching the balls at different angles, and on punts you often have to accelerate from a stand-still rather than kickoffs, where you're already moving forward by the time the other team gets to you.

Well... maybe it's not a foregone conclusion...

catch the ball run behind blockers cut if u have too..its really a simple technic ...

We could always keep one on the PS and if Drummond gets hurt bring them up, which most likely will happen (Keeping one or even both on the PS, not Drummond getting hurt). Its not like Drummond is 35, hes still in his mid 20's.

I would guess the majority of punt return/kick return guys in the NFL are specialists and thats all they do for the most part.

Even Dante Hall was like this mostly. Heck, most people on here wanted him to be a Kick/punt return specialist full time.

I think this is a great idea. A vet that our young guys and learn under and get some time to learn the tricks of the trade. I always thought that the Chiefs should have done the same thing with Dante Hall when he was still here. Just used him for return duties only. That way he could go 100% everytime. (Of course that could be 100% in the wrong direction...):hmmm:

Drummond's an upgrade over what we have currently.
We're only carrying 5 WR's so he's not exactly hurting the roster.

People are stubborn.

Herm 101 - what is the safest conservative move I can make?*

Ask that question for every personnel move. Drummond - veteran, less likely to make a mistake like muffing a kick or fumbling. He's a known entity and is a good returner.

Rookie - could be good, could be bad. There is some uncertainty.

Therein you shall find your answer.

* = As a former DB when Herm does go against his ultraconservative persona it almost always involves decisions regarding DB's. He can relate to an unheralded young DB because he was one.

Hall was a really good KR/PR for us, then we also started using him as a receiver and his KR/PR stats went down. He wasn't a good receiver and should have been left as a returner. We should leave Drummond only at KR/PR also.

Heh, heh, catching balls at different angles.

Yep.

That's not really my concern.

The three candidates for returners we have now don't contibute on the field outside of returning. If one of them did, that'd tilt the scales but that's not the case.

So essentially we're deciding between a proven, but injured vet and two young guys, one of which I believe has a massive upside as a returner.