Do you want Christian McCaffrey returning punts?

[Jeremy Igo]

6 minutes ago, Johnny Rockets said:

Antonio Brown has always done it (might change this year) and I'd say he is pretty valuable. 

Does Pittsburgh have a legit special teams unit or are they like the Panthers in that every decent return is called back due to penalty? 

Asking for a friend. 

[Jeremy Igo]

6 minutes ago, Adb6368 said:

Everyone that wants Byrd returning punts - have you even considered if he will be active on gamedays? Don't we usually keep 1 WR inactive when we carry 6? 

Fair point

[FuFuLamePoo]

 

[csx]

Yes. He's a rookie with the skills to do it. It's part of his value. He's not a protected veteran before playing a season or e an a game.

[ecu88]

During a preseason game, our own punt team about injuried him so that will be a big HELLLLLLLLL NAH from me. We suck at punt returns so why risk it.

[YoungPanthers89]

5 minutes ago, KillerKat said:

CMC is a top 10 pick. Byrd is not. Now if CMC was All-Pro at it, then maybe. But he's not and we're risking injury to a top 10 pick for only average or below average stats as a punt returner. 

Is returning punts that much more dangerous than every other time he'll touch the ball? Unless Dante Wesley is out there I'm not too concerned about it 

[Moorgan]

Yes I want him with the ball as often as possible. When Peppers strip sacks Hoyer on Sunday, I want him to lateral the ball to CMC who is on the field for that reason in our 4-3-3-1 defense. Get him the ball.

[Jeremy Igo]

This is nasty.... 

[ecu88]

1 minute ago, YoungPanthers89 said:

Is returning punts that much more dangerous than every other time he'll touch the ball? Unless Dante Wesley is out there I'm not too concerned about it 

I am not worried about the other team but our very own when it comes to PR.

[Khyber53]

Being timid leads to 6-10.

Put him out there and put the ball into his hands as much as possible.

The kid is not just talented, but smart as well. He knows when to call for a fair catch and when to try and take it to the house. And the majority of the impact danger is in the first five yards of him catching the ball. He can clear those five yards faster than anyone I've ever seen.

[Cary Kollins]

My mind is telling me no, but my heart is telling me no too.

 

That brutal shot he took on the punt return against Jacksonville(?) was all I needed to see.

[Neylus]

No, unless late in the game in need of a miracle. 

[Catufb85]

8 minutes ago, Jeremy Igo said:

Yes, we drafted the 8th pick overall to be a punt returner. 

 

Wait, what?

No, you don't have an 8th overall pick returning kicks in the NFL.

2016: Stanford fielded 38 punts and 14 of them were CMC 9.6 avg 0 TD

2015: Stanford fielded 53 CMC returned 37 8.6 avg 1 TD

2014: CMC returned 5 punts out of 29 punts. (Freshmen year)

One can state that CMC had an overall effect in 2015 carrying the load at RB and PR going 12-2.

However, this is the NFL.  You can't afford to have an 8th overall pick that you plan to evolve your Offense and also had 54% of the carries (CMC-17 JStew-11 Fozzy-10 Gilbert-2 DA-2) and also is going to be a huge factor in the passing game. 

We know CMC's workload is going to continue to increase after the flashes of ability in preseason and the mismatches.

History shows that historically you have fast athletic weapons returning kicks but not your quote "superstars" returning kicks. Deon did it early in his career but returned all of 8 after leaving the Falcons out of his 155. 

Devin Hester, Dante Hall, Josh Cribbs, Desmond Howard, etc. All had limited roles in their respective positions.

That's how return specialist make teams and their money.  Let them earn it.

IMO too high of a risk to have CMC back there. 

 

 

 

 

[ecu88]

1 minute ago, Cary Kollins said:

My mind is telling me no, but my heart is telling me no too.

 

That brutal shot he took on the punt return against Jacksonville(?) was all I needed to see.

Yeah that one and also when a blocker got in the way where I held my breath. We have Byrd and he is more nimble and lower to the ground for this role than CMC. CMC is great but Offense is more important than a PR imo.