With Kalif Raymond injured, who should fill in for the Lions on punt return?
The Detroit Lions are in search of a new punt returner after incumbent Kalif Raymond was carted off the field with an injury last week. The Lions temporarily subbed in All-Pro WR Amon-Ra St. Brown to return punts, but that drew mixed reactions given the heightened risk of injury on special teams play. It’s still unclear who will return punts for the Lions this week against the Bears, but Lions head coach Dan Campbell did tease about it this week.
Question of the day: Who should be the Lions’ punt returner this week?
There are a few options on the table. The first, and probably most controversial, is sticking with St. Brown. There are also two options from the Lions practice squad in Maurice Alexander and Donovan Peoples-Jones. Alexander has shown flashes in his preseason opportunities, but hasn’t gotten a ton of regular season reps. DPJ, on the other hand, has gotten regular season reps for several seasons, but not a ton of volume—he has never returned more than 18 punts in a season.
The Lions could get real creative and have a guy like Jameson Williams return punts to see what his speed can do in space. However when the Lions have needed alternatives in the past, Jamo was pretty far down the list. This was from Lions special teams coordinator Dave Fipp in January:
Doesn’t sound like Jameson Williams will be returning punts for Detroit this week.
Dave Fipp mentioned Amon-Ra St. Brown, Donovan Peoples-Jones, and Maurice Alexander among options that are higher up on the list.
— Pride of Detroit (@PrideOfDetroit) January 11, 2024
My answer: I’d ultimately go with DPJ. He showed improvement each of his first three seasons returning punts in Cleveland, and it’s an opportunity for Peoples-Jones to carve out a role both on offense and on special teams in Kalif Raymond’s absence.
Who do you think should return punts for the Lions this week? Vote below and let us know your thoughts.