While the Tennessee Titans appear to have the kick returner role figured out with running back Darrynton Evans, who fielded nine kickoffs in 2020, the jury is still out on who will return punts.
Last season, only wide receiver Kalif Raymond returned punts, fielding 23 over the course of the campaign. Raymond is now a member of the Detroit Lions, though.
Among their viable options, the Titans don’t have a lot of experience in that area. Evans himself has never returned a punt, either in college or the pros.
Wide receivers Chester Rogers, Cameron Batson and Mason Kinsey, all of whom saw looks at punt returner in practice on Thursday, per Jim Wyatt of Titans Online, are among the most experienced on the roster.
“Cameron Batson, Chester Rogers and (Mason) Kinsey all fielded punts during a special teams period,” Wyatt wrote.
Batson returned three punts for the Titans in 2018, but has more experience as a kick returner after fielding 11 kickoffs in 2020. Kinsey, a 2020 UDFA, was a punt returner at Berry College, and Rogers tallied 60 returns over the course of four seasons with the Indianapolis Colts (9.2 yards per return).
Tennessee currently has an interesting situation at wide receiver. The Titans have at least four spots at the position locked-in (Julio Jones, A.J. Brown, Josh Reynolds, Dez Fitzpatrick), and quite possibly five with Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, a special teams ace last season.
The Titans carried six receivers on their initial 53-man roster last year, but with their need for a punt returner, and with wide receiver Marcus Johnson continuing to impress but not having any experience returning punts, it’s possible we could see the team carry a seventh.
Kinsey in particular has been an under-the-radar player to watch at training camp thus far, so he’s someone to keep an eye on. Rogers’ overall experience and punt-return prowess also gives him a shot to make the cut.
For various reasons, the wide receiver position and punt return battle will situations to monitor as training camp progresses.
