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Detroit Lions Shouldn’t Risk Golden Tate’s Health in Return Man Role

By Max DeMara

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If anyone understands what the Detroit Lions plan to do within the return game, feel free to explain.

So far this offseason, they haven’t publicly said goodbye to Jeremy Ross despite his miserable 2014 campaign returning kickoffs and punts, nor has the team attempted to find a free agency fix from the outside. To this point, they haven’t even publicly spoken to any possible draft replacements.

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Now, part of their groundbreaking plan to change things up? It could be having prized receiver and key offensive cog Golden Tate line up to return punts during the year.

MLive.com’s Kyle Meinke spoke about that possibility this week.

"Detroit trotted out Tate for one punt return in its wild-card matchup against the Dallas Cowboys. And coach Jim Caldwell said he expects to use more of that package in 2015.“It’s a long time between now and then, know what I mean?” Caldwell said during the NFL owners meetings at the Arizona Biltmore hotel. “But he’s always a factor in  that area, so it just depends.“I suspect at some point in time he’s going to play a role in that area for us.”"

Tate, of course, does have experience in such a role from his time with the Seattle Seahawks, and getting him to commit to taking on that responsibility likely wouldn’t require much arm twisting considering his penchant for being a team player. But is that the right move? Should the Lions be sending out Calvin Johnson’s best running mate to chase down multiple punts?

Absolutely not!

The numbers will say Tate is better at punt returning than Ross is, but considering Ross only averaged 8.9 yards a return in 2014 and had a long return of 28 yards while putting the ball on the ground four times, that feat isn’t terribly hard to accomplish.

There’s no doubting that Tate could give the special teams group a shot in the arm, but the Lions would be doing that at the significant risk of injury. There’d be nothing worse than Tate trying to escape blockers running to decapitate him and pulling a hamstring which in turn gives the entire offense a cold.

There’s no doubting that Tate could give the special teams group a shot in the arm, but the Lions would be doing that at the significant risk of injury.

Plus, imagine if Tate was actually blown up in one of those car-crash type special teams collisions and sustained a season ending or career threatening injury. That’s not practicing smart business with a player signed to a massive deal with the hopes of leading the offense first and foremost.

Instead, the Lions should be targeting a receiver and returner combo platter in the middle rounds, a player such as Tyler Lockett, Jamison Crowder or someone else. Not only could that player help out the offense, but they would help put an end to any discussion of using Tate in a consistent return role next year.

Mix Tate in for a change of pace? Fine. Depend on him for the majority of returns? No way.

If 2014 proved anything, it’s how much the Lions and Matthew Stafford need a healthy Tate leading their offense. Risking that long-term to try and gain a few extra yards on punt returns is simply a foolish move.

Something else has to be done within the return game.

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