Washington Football Team: 3 positives and negatives from the preseason so far

Positive: Return Game

The Football Team may continue to experiment with these roles, but as of now, I would be very happy to see UDFA darling Jaret Patterson handle kickoff returns and DeAndre Carter take over punt returns. This would constitute a significant step up from 2020, when Danny Johnson and Steven Sims Jr. had these duties.

I like Johnson a lot, and I hope he finds a way to stick. He is a no-nonsense return man who goes forward and gets what he can. But Paterson appears to have the same mindset as a returner while also offering more explosion and more potential for a big play.

And Carter is quite simply a professional punt returner, something Sims Jr. was not. Sims Jr. committed the cardinal sin of all punt returners (behind fumbling – something he also had trouble with.) He danced, looking to hit the home run every time. Great punt returners are decisive. One move and then forward with reckless abandon. Too often, Sims Jr. got two yards when there was eight to be had. DeAndre Carter will get what is available, and he’s gifted enough to occasionally break the big return as well. I look for big things from the return game this season.