Potential Redskins special teams contributors for 2020

Returners

The Redskins have not been very good at returning either kick-offs or punts for quite some time. But at least in 2019, they developed some consistency. Only three men returned kicks or punts last year, and one of them, Wendell Smallwood, had a single kickoff return in the final game.

For the first part of the season, Steven Sims Jr. handled all the kickoffs and Trey Quinn fielded all the punts. Sims showed genuine flash, including a crucial TD return in the victory over the Lions.

Here’s a look at Sims’ return via the NFL on YouTube.

Sims had several other near breaks. But maybe most importantly, he stayed healthy the entire season, which for a player his size (5-10, 176) who also saw an increased role on offense as the season progressed, is vital and not always assured.

Quinn began the year as a serviceable punt returner. He showed little flash, but he generally went forward and got the yards that were available. Around the midpoint of the season, though, his production fell off, and a concussion in Week 13 against Carolina effectively ended his season. Sims assumed punt return responsibilities for the remainder of the season.

Going into this year, the Redskins will be looking for greater production in the punt return game and should also be looking to give Sims a break as he becomes the team’s primary slot receiver. You can expect Sims to still return kickoffs, but there are several new players who could win a roster spot with a combination of steady play and a few dazzling returns.

First on this list is third-round draft pick Antonio Gibson. Gibson will be worked in as both a running and receiving option on offense, but his greatest value early on may come as a returner. He had some impressive plays while at Memphis, and though he doesn’t seem to have the quick initial burst that punt returners often need, he has a great combination of strength and straight-ahead speed that could be very valuable when returning kickoffs, as evidenced in this return against SMU.

The other exciting new player to watch is WR Isaiah Wright. The undrafted free agent from Temple had several exciting returns in college like this return against UConn and has looked good handling both kickoffs and punts.

The Redskins also have insurance with veterans like Greg Stroman, Danny Johnson, Cody Latimer, and J.D. McKissic all capable of handling return duties. Of them all, Latimer is the only one without a troubling history of injury, and it may come down to whoever can remain healthy enough to provide depth in the return game.

Finally, there is Bryce Love. Though he didn’t do it often in college, Love has some experience with kickoffs and remains a wild card. If healthy, he seems to have all the tools necessary to be a dangerous kick returner.