Since Dave Fipp arrived on Dan Campbell's coaching staff in 2021, Kalif Raymond has been the Detroit Lions' punt returner-and one of the best in the league for that matter. But Raymond is on IR after being injured in Week 12 against the Indianapolis Colts, and it's fair to assume Amon-Ra St. Brown won't be called upon to fill-in again outside of very specific situations.
Maurice Alexander was the Lions' punt returner on Thanksgiving Day against the Chicago Bears, but he was waived on Saturday as the team made room for defensive additions. So who will return punts for the rest of Raymond's absence, at least the next three game?
The Lions' coordinators had their day with the media on Monday, ahead of Thursday night's game against the Green Bay Packers. Special teams coordinator Dave Fipp was asked about the difficulty there can be in finding someone to return punts.
"So, the one thing I will – I’ll just tell you, the one thing I love, there’s two guys on this team that will beg to be back there all the time and I respect the heck out of them for it," Fipp said. "But it’s Terrion Arnold, he wants to go back there and touch the ball, and Jamo (Jameson Williams), they want to go back there and touch the ball. I love it, it doesn’t mean they’re going to get that, but I love the fact that they want to do it because there are some other players that probably are hoping that their number’s not called, it’s just the reality of it."
Fipp harkened back to his time with the Philadelphia Eagles to mention Darren Sproles and DeSean Jackson, who wanted the extra opportunity to make an impact. That's the balance, using a player who is so important to another area (like St. Brown) and exposing them to extra injury risk.
Could Jameson Williams and Terrion Arnold return punts?
Williams took punt return reps in training camp, so he's clearly somewhere on the depth chart there. Last week he said he asked to return punts after Raymond went down against the Colts.
“I did in the game (against the Colts). I did in the game," Williams said last week, via SI.com. "But I think we’ve got other plans, someone else will be back there.”
Williams did not return punts in college, but he did get some run returning kickoffs (10 for 352 yards and two touchdowns) in 2021. Arnold also did not return punts in college, returning one kickoff for Alabama last season (for 22 yards).
Fipp was asked more specifically about Williams ending up returning something.
"I could definitely see it," Fipp said. "I would say, development, he's come a long way. When he first came in here, his catching ability ... needed some work. But he's gotten much better. And then I think if you have a player like that and you want to play him back there, there's things you could do to help him out."
We'll see who is returning punts for the Lions against the Packers on Thursday night, and moving forward for however long Raymond is out. It doesn't seem like Williams or Arnold would be top, preferred options, but they seem to be some level of option based on their willingness to do it.