The Chiefs’ punt return squad went out with a bang in Super Bowl LVII, which makes it easy to forget that the team was actually a disaster on punt returns for the majority of their last campaign.
It’s covered in more detail in my 2022 Chiefs special teams review, but essentially Kansas City had a bottom-10 punt return squad last season. Much of that was due to players’ individual struggle, but a sort of musical chairs approach to the punt returner role by the team’s coaching staff didn’t seem to help either.
The answer of who the team’s best player is at the position is still in question as the Chiefs begin training camp. Special teams coordinator Dave Toub has a handful of intriguing prospects — both rookies and veterans — to try out. Below are the players expected to compete for the punt returner role for the Chiefs:
The favorites
WRs Richie James, Skyy Moore, Kadarius Toney
The Chiefs may continue to play musical chairs at punt returner in 2023, and if they do, these three players could be in the rotation. Moore and Toney each led the team with 16 returns last season; Moore earned just 7.19 yards per return, while Toney averaged 10.81.
With Moore and Toney likely set to become the team’s number one and two receivers, they may take a backseat to the more experienced James. While James’ 7.3 yards per return isn’t a super-impressive average, his 75 career returns for 547 yards show that he’s easily the most experienced returner on the roster. That also means he’s the safest option, which may be what the Chiefs need after Kansas City’s punt returners fumbled the ball five times last season.
The competition
WRs Nikko Remigio, John Ross, Ihmir Smith-Marsette, Justin Watson
Dave Toub generally tries out between three to five players at the punt returner during his team’s exhibition games. However, he may skip giving Toney and Moore punt return reps in this year’s preseason given their experience last year, making way for others to try out for the role.
Watson was a decent, albeit not flashy, returner for the Chiefs last season with five returns for 39 yards, good for a mark of 7.8 yards per return. He could compete for the spot this year or at least compete for an unofficial fill-in role.
The same goes for Remigio, who was very productive as a punt returner collegiately at California and Fresno State, totaling 603 yards and two touchdowns on 58 returns (10.4 y/rt). It may be tough for Remigio to cut it in Kansas City’s crowded receiver room and make the Chiefs’ 53-man roster, but he could earn a practice squad spot and eventually earn a call-up.
Ross and Smith-Marsette both have limited experience as punt returners. Neither have returned punts at the NFL level. Ross barely returned punts in college, and Smith-Marsette never did at all. But both players were beasts as kick returners in college, and Toub may believe that their previous talent will translate because he has been giving both of them punt return looks in training camp.
The longshots
WRs Kekoa Crawford, Justyn Ross
CB Reese Taylor
Crawford returned a couple of punts for a total of 18 yards at California, and he has been receiving limited reps in training camp. He’s a long shot, but everyone in this group is worth monitoring. Taylor notched 130 yards on 16 returns (8.1 y/rt) at Indiana and Purdue, but he’s a longshot as well given the stiff competition at the role.
Ross has been receiving kick return looks in camp, which means Toub could give him punt return reps as well. It seems unlikely given his injury history, but the Chiefs seemingly want to give Ross every chance possible to make the roster and succeed.
