Detroit Lions trying out some interesting kickoff returner options

After years of trying to eliminate it, primarily in the name of player safety, the NFL is trying to bring back the kickoff return. Essentially, spring league football's rules for kickoffs are being adopted to promote more returns and bring some strategy back to the play.

The Lions fully supported the rule change, which was approved at the league meetings back in March. Head coach Dan Campbell was glad to see the kickoff return come back to the NFL.

"What I think has gotten a lot of people spooked a little bit is the unknown of it, and that’s what excites me,” Campbell said. “(Special teams coordinator Dave) Fipp and I already have been back there watching all these XFL clips....It gives us a chance to play special teams, you know? What happened last year, you really felt like that took a significant number of plays out of the game, and those were from special teams. You don’t really make it up anywhere else. And so just we put an emphasis on it. I believe in it.”

Lions trying out some interesting kickoff returner options

In line with the league's effort to minimize the play, the Lions haven't gotten a lot out of their kickoff returners in recent years. The new kickoff rule opens up opportunities to use players who could be very impactful in the role, of course balanced against what their primary role is on offense or defense.

An interesting potential kickoff returner option for the Lions, rookie running back Sione Vaki, left Thursday's practice with a shoulder injury. No conclusions should be made about the severity of the injury yet, and it's possible he has gotten some work as a kickoff returner that reporters have not been able to share.

But, according to John Maakaron of SI.com, the Lions tried out some other interesting kickoff returner options during Thursday's practice.

"Jameson Williams, David Montgomery, Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jahmyr Gibbs are all getting reps at kick returner. With the new rules in this aspect of the game, the Lions have the opportunity to get creative on special teams."

Que the eyeball emojis.

Williams had 10 kickoff returns during his one season at Alabama (2021), with two touchdowns.
Gibbs returned 44 kickoffs over his three college seasons (Georgia Tech and Alabama), averaging 23.9 yards per return with a touchdown.
Montgomery has never returned a kickoff in the NFL, and he never did in college at Iowa State. Maybe he did so in high school.
St. Brown had a little bit of action as a return man in college at USC-19 punt returns and two kickoff returns.

It's unlikely, due to their prominent roles in the offense, that Williams, St. Brown, Gibbs or Montgomery will become the Lions' primary kickoff returner. But camp is the time to try things, and the new kickoff rule means no stone should go unturned to survey returner options.