New kick return rules

[FordFairLane]

With the new rules in place should that change the team’s position on keeping guys just because of special teams? Derek Watt, Nix, Boykin etc don’t seem to bring much value outside of special teams so with the league marginalizing the need should the Steelers change their position on keeping primarily special teams only players?

Personally, I think I would only have special teams come to mind when two players might be head to head position wise and I needed a tiebreaker to determine which player gets the roster spot.

 

[Troglodyte]

Yeah, it’s a damn shame. I think I’d prefer more blocking and tackling rule changes on returns than essentially eliminating them altogether.

 

[Shane Falco]

I think the XFL has kickoffs and punts right. They should take a look at those rules

 

[xjx]

Squib kicks will be more effective now. Fair catch to the 25. Why do you need a fat punter?

 

[SteelerFan448]

They claim there were 19 concussions on kickoffs, but only 8 could be spotted with the human eye, meaning they don't know if the other 11 actually came on kickoffs. Is a kickoff really that much more dangerous?

 

[Drink IRON City]

Squib kicks will be more effective now. Fair catch to the 25. Why do you need a fat punter?

We have one, in case we want to run a “trick” play.


Salute the nation

 

[Drink IRON City]

With the new rules in place should that change the team’s position on keeping guys just because of special teams? Derek Watt, Nix, Boykin etc don’t seem to bring much value outside of special teams so with the league marginalizing the need should the Steelers change their position on keeping primarily special teams only players?

Personally, I think I would only have special teams come to mind when two players might be head to head position wise and I needed a tiebreaker to determine which player gets the roster spot.

Do you have a link to the “New Rules” ?


Salute the nation

 

[madinsomniac]

Do you have a link to the “New Rules” ?


Salute the nation

Basically you can call for a fair catch on a kickoff anywhere inside the 25 and still get the ball on the 25.


ST coaches like Bubbles would gamble that their guys could tackle a player before the 25 if they kept the ball in play, so they had their kickers short the ball instead of getting it into the end zone.

Basically this rule ( which was opposed by every single special teams coach in the league) is why guys like benny snell and derek Watt are jobless right now.. coverage ST players are low value because of it

 

[Steel Reign]

Somewhere, one Mr. Danny Smiff laughs at this rule. We will be running it back and getting tackled before the 25 and there isn't anything you can do about it NFL!

 

[Troglodyte]

Basically you can call for a fair catch on a kickoff anywhere inside the 25 and still get the ball on the 25.


ST coaches like Bubbles would gamble that their guys could tackle a player before the 25 if they kept the ball in play, so they had their kickers short the ball instead of getting it into the end zone.

Basically this rule ( which was opposed by every single special teams coach in the league) is why guys like benny snell and derek Watt are jobless right now.. coverage ST players are low value because of it

Keeping the most exciting play in football alive is of low value now as well.

 

[Drink IRON City]

Basically you can call for a fair catch on a kickoff anywhere inside the 25 and still get the ball on the 25.


ST coaches like Bubbles would gamble that their guys could tackle a player before the 25 if they kept the ball in play, so they had their kickers short the ball instead of getting it into the end zone.

Basically this rule ( which was opposed by every single special teams coach in the league) is why guys like benny snell and derek Watt are jobless right now.. coverage ST players are low value because of it

Thanks madinsomniac, and all your great post(s) along the way.

So basically Bubbles, or I mean STEELERS will actually not have ST Aces, that should open up about 6 spots for better depth everywhere else……………..

This will also extend Bubbles JOB here.


Salute the nation

 

[ZonaBurgh]

Basically you can call for a fair catch on a kickoff anywhere inside the 25 and still get the ball on the 25.


ST coaches like Bubbles would gamble that their guys could tackle a player before the 25 if they kept the ball in play, so they had their kickers short the ball instead of getting it into the end zone.

Basically this rule ( which was opposed by every single special teams coach in the league) is why guys like benny snell and derek Watt are jobless right now.. coverage ST players are low value because of it

I question why bother kicking off at all then? Guess punts are next, just place the ball 40 yards down field, or in the case of our jumbo kicker, 30.

 

[BLITZ]

Keeping the most exciting play in football alive is of low value now as well.

It has not been exciting for years.
Remember what Lambert said about qbs? That is going to go for the rest of the players also.

 

[Drink IRON City]

It has not been exciting for years.
Remember what Lambert said about qbs? That is going to go for the rest of the players also.

Lambert said things back then that still make me proud if he said them today. NO *****-fooling around……..


Salute the nation

 

[Troglodyte]

How about instead of all these rules changes, they implement a rule that any and all contact on kicking downs must be lead with players hands? Including returners. They would have to stiff arm or otherwise evade anyone attempting to tackle them, they couldn’t just lower a shoulder. It’d be similar to much of the tackling in backyard football where nobody is wearing a helmet.

 

[bermudasteel]

Our most exciting KR was when AB mule kicked the Browns kicker...

 

[Drink IRON City]

Our most exciting KR was when AB mule kicked the Browns kicker...

Sad thing of that is, the outside was open lane to score. He chose to hurt the team, for his notoriety and fame.


Salute the nation

 

[tapeANaspirin2it]

They claim there were 19 concussions on kickoffs, but only 8 could be spotted with the human eye, meaning they don't know if the other 11 actually came on kickoffs. Is a kickoff really that much more dangerous?

I've been saying for years that the concussion thing is BS. I've watched football my whole life and never saw this rash of injuries they claim happen on nearly every single kick.

They want the kickoff gone for money. If anybody watches hard knocks, they know that they last 4 or 5 guys make the team for kickoffs. Every team ends up keep a guy like Gunner over a developmental OT or 3rd QB or whatever. I think most NFL coaches would rather do away with kickoffs so they can use those last roster spots on developmental players and not on a guy whose only skill is running downfield in a lane.

Getting rid of the kickoff is a way to effectively expand the roster without actually expanding the roster and having to pay more players.

Plus I think most coaches hate the element of uncertainty that kickoffs bring.