One position that doesn’t seem to come up much when discussing positions of need for the Raiders is return specialist. Think about this; the team’s leaders in both yards per punt return and yards per kick return are both gone.
Trevor Davis’s 13 punt returns were more than twice as many as any other player on the team and his 8.5 yards per punt return also let the team. His 19 kick returns were also more than double that of anyone else on the team. Dwayne Harris’s 37.5 yards per kick return led the team.
Neither of them is on the roster today. Which means their jobs are up for grabs.
Hunter Renfrow vs Lynn Bowden Jr.
Position: Punt returner
Others: Nelson Agholor
Slot receivers often make good punt returners. Their ability to catch passes in traffic and make quick moves to avoid getting lit up tend to be ideal for the job. Renfrow returned just five punts last season, but he averaged the second-most yards per punt return (7.5) on the team.
Entering the fray is rookie Lynn Bowden Jr. The Raiders like him as a weapon and intend to use him in every way possible.
What’s interesting is the college-wide receiver/quarterback/running back/return specialist returned a LOT more kicks at Kentucky than he did punts. He returned 71 kicks or three seasons with the Wildcats while returning just nine punts. What’s even more interesting is that he returned two of those nine punts for touchdowns.
That success rate as a punt returner is likely why Mike Mayock said he will be trying out Bowden as a punt returner.
Initially, the Raiders plan to use Bowden as a running back, which means he would get probably at most 10 touches per game, so there will be plenty of tread left to use him in the return game as well.
Jalen Richard vs Henry Ruggs III
Position: Kick returner
Others: Keisean Nixon
Richards returns to the Raiders on a one-year deal. Gruden loves him in his offense as a receiver out of the backfield. He also, on an occasion, likes him as a return man.
Last season Richard was the next-man-up at both kick and punt returner last season. He had a combined total of 15 returns, with the second most kick returns (nine) and the second most punt returns (six). Though in both instances he didn’t do a lot with them. Especially not at punt returner where he averaged just 3.5 yards per return.
Ruggs was one of the most electric players in college football last season. Along with his receiving duties, he returned 12 kicks, averaging 23.8 yards per return.
The real question here could be just how much they want to use Ruggs. He will be coming in as the team’s number one receiver. Often times teams like to make that an exclusive job.
A look at Tyreek Hill’s numbers could be telling. He wasn’t a starter as a rookie and had 53 returns. He started 13 games in his second season and his returns when down to 25. Then he started 16 games and his returns when down to 20. And last season he had none.
Could Ruggs be relegated to receiver? If so, Richard could be back to kick return duties. If not, Ruggs would figure to be an intriguing option.
