Ray-Ray McCloud is itching to take one to the house. You can just tell.
In five kickoff returns, McCloud contributed 144 yards for an average of 29 yards per return. He’s no Cordarrelle Patterson or Devin Duvernay but still a big deal for Pittsburgh who hasn’t had a dynamic kick returner since Antonio Brown left.
Punt returns require a different technical skill set than kick returns, but McCloud showed he could handle both when Johnson exited the Week 3 game with a concussion. Oddly, Ray-Ray logged the same 12.5-yard average on punt returns as Diontae.
I’d expect Johnson to assume his role in the punt return game Week 5, but his butterfingers make me nervous. Assigning McCloud to both roles would be a solid move if he continues to have success with it.
In my opinion, one of our “star” receivers should not be involved on special teams. Johnson, though he ranks 13th in punt returns, is prone to concussions and has already suffered two in as many seasons. Anytime they had Mr. Big Chest back there, I’d close my eyes and press rewind in those five times he took it to the house. Even with running starts on kickoffs eliminated in 2018, why risk injury to a top receiver? The Steelers are keeping a guy on the roster solely for special teams who has been performing just as well. (Though McCloud is labeled a wide receiver, he’s only been used in three offensive snaps this season, after Johnson left the game on Sunday.)
But I digress.
I say, give Ray-Ray more opportunities. Practice makes perfect, right? Then again, I’m not a coach for a reason — well, many reasons actually.
Let’s just hope he’s not another Ryan Switzer… a guy who showed promise at first but never actually did anything.
