After a recent practice, Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel revealed that wide receivers Cameron Batson, Mason Kinsey and Chester Rogers were all competing for the punt return job ahead of the 2021 campaign.
However, during practice on Saturday the team appeared to add two more to the competition, as running backs Brian Hill and Darrynton Evans both did punt return work during practice, per ESPN’s Turron Davenport.
Davenport also noted that wide receiver Josh Reynolds was fielding punts during minicamp, but he appears to be dealing with an injury after leaving practice early on Thursday and not participating on Friday or Saturday.
#Titans have five guys working on punt returns: Cam Batson, Mason Kinsey, Chester Rogers and new additions Brian Hill and Darrynton Evans. Josh Reynolds was back there during minicamp but isn't practicing today.
— TURRON DAVENPORT (@TDavenport_NFL) July 31, 2021
Evans, who figures to serve as the team’s kick returner in 2021, and Hill have never fielded punts during their college or pro careers. The former was Tennessee’s main kick returner in 2020 when healthy.
Out of the five participants in this competition, Rogers remains the most experienced after returning 60 punts over his four seasons with the Indianapolis Colts.
Kinsey assumed the role in college, and Batson has three punt returns in his NFL career, all of which came for the Titans in 2018.
This situation clearly remains fluid, but it’s one that could lead to the Titans carrying a seventh receiver thanks to wide receiver Marcus Johnson consistently standing out. Johnson is not trying out for punt return so far.
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