Thread: Vikings auditioning kick returners

http://www.twincities.com/mld/twinci...s/15309613.htm
Vikings auditioning kick returners
Several players getting opportunity to replace Robinson
BY MARCUS R. FULLER
Pioneer Press
Vikings receiver Travis Taylor had not returned kicks since his sophomore season at Florida. Even then, he didn't get many repetitions.

So you could imagine how out of place he felt standing next to rookie Jason Carter during a Vikings special-teams practice at training camp Wednesday.

A punt from Chris Kluwe shifted in the wind and fell through his hands — not once, but twice. Taylor showed his frustration by pounding his fists into the grass. He eventually got it, though.

"It's a learning process," Taylor said. "It's something different. I saw Jermaine Lewis do it for four years in Baltimore. The guy was one of the best I've ever seen. I learned a lot from him. But at the same time, I never thought I would do it much myself."

The loss of Koren Robinson, who was charged with six criminal counts Wednesday, immediately had an impact on the Vikings' receiving corps. It also left a hole in their return game.

Injuries to running back Mewelde Moore (knee) and receiver Kevin Kasper (ankle) made the situation even worse. Several players have been asked to fill in, but none has proven to be a great fit.

Before Troy Williamson replaced Robinson as the No. 1 receiver, he was supposed to take Robinson's spot as a kick returner. But Williamson fumbled the opening kickoff in the Vikings' first exhibition game Monday night against the Oakland Raiders and was replaced by Kasper.

Kasper, who has played five seasons in the NFL as a return specialist, finished with 142 yards and a 35.5-yard average on four returns. But Kasper, still fighting for a roster spot, will not play in tonight's exhibition game at Pittsburgh because of a high ankle sprain.

"I think I have a knack for (kick returns), because it's something I've done for a long time," said Kasper, who won a Super Bowl with New England in 2004. "Hopefully, I can do for it for this team in the future."

Until Moore and Kasper return, the Vikings are left relying on players with almost no NFL experience as returners.

Receivers Taylor, Carter and Josh Davis and running backs Ciatrick Fason and Wendell Mathis all spent time with the return team this week. But Taylor and Fason are the only players in the group likely to be on the regular-season roster.

Fason, currently the backup for starting running back Chester Taylor, hasn't returned kicks since high school. It was apparent when the first kickoff he tried to handle in practice Wednesday bounced off his chest.

"It kind of feels like this is my first time doing it," said Fason, who returned two kicks last season for 4 yards. "But I just want to help out any way I can."

Last season, Robinson used his great hands and breakaway speed to thrive as a kick returner, earning Pro Bowl honors (the first time for a Vikings return man) while averaging an NFC-best 26 yards a return for 1,221 yards, including an 86-yard touchdown against the New York Giants.

With Robinson's season up in the air, Moore was supposed to be the next-best thing.

It seemed to be a natural fit after he took over for former Vikings and Seattle Seahawks receiver Nate Burleson on punt returns a year ago.

"It's something I really didn't do until I got to the league," Moore said. "The key to it is catching and running as hard as you can. Once you secure the ball, you just run where your eyes take you."

Moore reached the end zone on a 71-yard punt return against the Giants last season and finished with the highest average (11.7) for a Viking in six years.

He was listed second behind Robinson on kickoff return duty most of training camp. But Moore didn't return any kickoffs Monday against Oakland and had only one punt return for 11 yards.

Durability has been an issue for Moore, who will miss tonight's game against the Steelers because of a sore left knee. There's a risk of Moore injuring himself on special teams, especially if he has to be the main return man this season.

But Vikings special-teams coordinator Paul Ferraro said he doesn't want to rely on one player.

"That's why you see us working so many guys," Ferraro said. "You can't ever count on just one. You have to have three returners at each spot ready to go, because in a snap you're down to your second, and if you don't have a third, then you can be in a real bind."

Marcus R. Fuller can be reached at [email protected]

Robinson did well for us last year.. no doubt....but....where did he get the "great hands"?...Robinson was famous for all his drops in Seattle.
He has never been a sure handed receiver.

"jdvike" wrote:

Robinson did well for us last year.. no doubt....but....where did he get the "great hands"?...Robinson was famous for all his drops in Seattle.
He has never been a sure handed receiver.

That was when he was drunk...which of course means he would have been dropping them again this year also......

dang... another hit to our special tems....

Hopefully one of these guys can be a kick retuner, might even have to give them some glue to hold onto the catch.

i vote for memo to be taking kicks back

I really hope Kasper gets healthy. I think he could do a fine job for us returning kicks.

memo punts & kasper/memo back to return kicks would be idle imo, but its kind of sad that they're both injured atm.

i hope jones or carter can fill in for the time being

I wish we had burleson still! He would have been great for our offense and an awesome punt returner. Why doesn't Ryan Hoag take a shot at returning kicks?

they should try to get az-zahir hakim if possible.
he's a decent punt returner, with some experience with kickoffs.
plus he can provide a bit of depth at reciever.
he averages about 4-500 yards per season, and he even has a 158.3 passer rating

IMO he would be a good pickup