Under the old rules, New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara returning kicks on special teams wasn’t seen all that often.
But that could be about to change.
Appearing on Ari Meirov’s “NFL Spotlight” this week, Saints special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi said that teams might throw out some big-name players on kick returns in key situations next season.
Rizzi went to specifically name-drop Tyreek Hill of the Miami Dolphins and Kamara.
Of course, Rizzi has a vested interest in making the new rules–which aim to make kickoffs safer than ever–sound great because of his role in helping the league make the big change.
But it’s also a strategically sound idea to use a weapon like Kamara. The star running back, after all, has returned just 17 kicks as a pro–yet returned one for a touchdown. His talent and explosiveness for the role are obvious, but under the old rules, it never made sense to regularly risk him back there while he was already seeing 1,800-plus touches over seven seasons.
Of course, there’s the whole Kamara contract storyline hanging in the background given his dissatisfaction with his current deal. But the takeaway about kickoffs is an important one, especially for a Saints team likely holding one of the league’s most dangerous returners under the new rules.
#Saints STC Darren Rizzi says he could see players like Tyreek Hill and Alvin Kamara returning kickoffs late in games thanks to the new kickoff rule.
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) August 6, 2024
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