4 Ideal Bucs Kick Returners With New Kickoff Rule

When looking at the new kickoff rule that NFL owners voted in favor of 29-3, there is no question that it brings an element of intrigue to a part of the game that has been largely lackluster since the days of Devin Hester.

It took forever for the Bucs to return a kickoff for a touchdown in the team’s existence, with Micheal Spurlock finally reaching the end zone on a 90-yard touchdown against Atlanta in 2007. Tampa Bay has only returned four kickoff returns for touchdowns in franchise history since its inception in 1976, so perhaps the rule change will help the Bucs add more special teams scores in the future.

What is most exciting about it is the fact that kickoffs will be a larger part of the game once again. This video explains all of the changes and how each of the eight XFL teams returned a lot more kickoffs than in the NFL with it implemented.

The XFL’s Orlando Guardians paced the league last season with an average of 5.6 kickoff returns a game, and the Houston Roughnecks – the lowest-ranked team – had 3.6 kickoff returns a game. That doubles the 1.8 kickoff returns a game the Packers had in the NFL last season, even with an All-Pro returner in Keisean Nixon. The Bucs ranked 23rd in kick returns at just 0.9 return per game.

In deciding to implement this rule change, the NFL hopes to reduce concussions by preventing full-speed, head-on collisions while simultaneously adding more scoring to a league that has experienced a combined points-per-game dip from 49 in 2020 to just 43.5 in 2023.

Digging further, while this change may lead to more opportunities for favorable field position, it still requires great effort to pull off a touchdown. There was only one kickoff return for a touchdown last season in the XFL, but nine returners had returns longer than 40 yards. In the XFL’s first season in 2020, there were two touchdown returns but only five return specialists eclipsed 40 yards.

What you need to know is that for this new rule, kicks will still be from the 35-yard line, but players on each team – except for the kicker and the returner – will be lined up 10 yards apart and near the returner on the 40- and 30-yard lines on the returning side.

No player can move until the returner touches the ball or the ball hits the ground in the landing zone (which is the 20-yard line to the goal line), and no fair catches can be made.

All kicks must be returned, or if the ball rolls from the landing zone into the end zone it can be downed for a touchback at the 20-yard line. If the kick fails to reach the landing zone, the receiving team takes possession at its 40-yard line. If the kick is boomed into the end zone, the ball will be placed at the 35-yard line.

Now that the new kickoff rules have been laid out, how will it impact the Bucs’ return game in 2024?

Deven Thompkins Remains Bucs’ Top Option Due To Speed And Experience

It is clear that with this new rule change, the last couple of 53-man roster spots will hold even more importance as teams strategize who to involve on kickoffs.

Bucs WR-KR-PR Deven Thompkins – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

For the Bucs last season, wide receiver Deven Thompkins led the way as the primary kick returner, with 16 attempts for 327 yards (20.4 yards per return average), with his longest return going for 32 yards. Among all returners, he ranked 14th in yards and 16th in average among specialists with at least five attempts.

As it stands, the 5-foot-8, 155-pound Thompkins is currently the lead candidate to resume his duties next season, and there is still a lot to like about what he offers on special teams. He has 4.35 speed, and he pairs that with impressive overall athleticism and elusiveness.

Being in the middle of the pack numbers-wise does mean there is some room for improvement though, and that could mean new special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey looks at putting someone back there who offers more physicality and a traditional build. At his size, Thompkins does not offer much tackle-breaking ability.

With the way the teams line up between the 40-yard line and the 30-yard line on the receiving side of the field, it creates a line of scrimmage, and some believe that a running back with the ability to see holes open up and the size to break tackles could be more ideal than a smallish wide receiver.

Watch Out For Bucs WRs Trey Palmer And Rakim Jarrett As Returners

Having someone who can make the most of reading holes, breaking tackles, and having breakaway speed defines an elite return specialist. With the new kickoff rules emphasizing these points more than ever, the Bucs could get creative with a new primary returner.

Bucs WR Rakim Jarrett – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

In particular, wide receivers Trey Palmer (6-0, 192 pounds) and Rakim Jarrett (6-0, 190 pounds) are stouter than Deven Thompkins, and each can light up a stopwatch (Palmer 4.33, Jarrett 4.44 40-yard times).

Palmer received some return reps during last year’s training camp and practices in-season and it would allow the team to make use of its biggest deep threat in another way. It is also worth mentioning that he returned both punts and kickoffs throughout college, bringing both a punt (2019) and kickoff (2020) to the house for touchdowns.

While Jarrett is the “slowest” of the group, he is perhaps the best suited to take on contact and he had ten total kickoff returns at Maryland between 2020-2021.

If one of them is back there to replace Thompkins, it would not completely take him out of more creative plays that could be used for kick returns. For example, he could remain involved on designed end-around plays where he comes from the sideline behind the primary returner to take the toss and run, much like the gadget plays he has gotten on offense.

This was the best way to involve him last season, and if this is something the team chooses to do, the kicking team would have to prepare for another threat to break a big return.

Bucs RB Sean Tucker Could Be A Wildcard In Return Game

Bucs RB Sean Tucker – Photo by: Cliff Welch/PR

While wide receivers are often the biggest play weapon, a wildcard as the Bucs’ returner could be second-year running back Sean Tucker. While it remains up in the air whether he will contribute to the Bucs’ backfield in 2024, there is no debating his dynamic size (5-10, 210 pounds) and 4.3 speed.

It would be a hard task having to tackle a “Baby Nick Chubb” every kickoff. Having a running back on returns making reads and cuts is also a great way to make use of the shorter field that acts more of a line of scrimmage. As a result, it makes split-second decision-making and field vision more paramount.

In the hypothetical that Turner is back fielding kicks, pulling different special teamers lined up along the sideline to block like offensive linemen are pulled on counter-run play would allow for a more natural feel for him to show off his explosiveness and rip off a big gain.

In any case, the new kickoff rule change has sparked plenty of conversation, and who is back there for the Bucs next season is one that the team needs to start having.