One of the spots that the Detroit Lions have had trouble filling in recent years has been the kick return spot. Last year the Lions went through five different options. Khalil Dorsey, Craig Reynolds, Donovan Peoples-Jones, Mohamed Ibrahim and Zonovan Knight. None of them worked out well.
Part of the problem is that when camp started for the Lions, this wasn’t an issue. The Lions had Justin Jackson on the roster and he was one of the best kick returners in the game in 2022. Then he abruptly retired the day before the Lions first preseason game. They never really found a replacement.
Now the NFL has completely changed the way that it does it’s kick returns. It’s become safer and it’s set up to provide a better chance for a return. The Lions should be on the lookout for a new kick returner this offseason and they, as well as other teams in the league, should look to the place where this new kickoff format came from, the UFL.
The UFL started up on Saturday after the merger between the XFL and the USFL. It’s the XFL that brings in this new version of the kickoff. If you watched any of the games over the weekend, then you can see just how much this new format is built to support the return man.
For example, DC Defenders return man Pooka Williams had 122 kick return yards in just one game. Two other returners went over 100 yards as well.
This had me wondering if the Lions would be better served by teaching a player on the roster a new format that they don’t fully understand yet or if they would be better off bringing in a player from the league where this format came from to get things started? I wouldn’t be surprised if the Lions and the rest of the league go the latter route. It just seems like an easy idea to just have a guy that knows what he’s doing.
If the Lions do go this route, Pooka Williams is the guy they should look at. The Lions may be on the look out for another running back to come in for camp and give Craig Reynolds a challenge for that RB3 spot.