Miami weighing options at kick returner

By Matthew Hocking  |   Monday, August 27, 2007  |  Comments( 8 )

Miami Dolphins
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As the Miami Dolphins head into the regular season, one of the most pressing questions facing the team is the status of the kick return position.

Ted Ginn is firmly entrenched as the punt returner, but in the interest of not overwhelming the first-round draft pick, he has been removed from the kickoff team for now. For the time being, running backs Jesse Chatman and Ronnie Brown have been manning the position, but there is still plenty of time for changes to be made.

For his part, Brown has proven to be more than adequate at the position this preseason, handling three returns for a total of 78 yards despite having never played this position at any point during his career. The third-year man has the strength and burst to be a successful returner, and seems to truly relish the role. He literally bounces around with joy every time he gets up after a return. However, Brown is the starting running back, and with as much time and money as the Dolphins have put into his development as a ball carrier, there is some danger in putting him at a spot where he is sure to take some tough shots.

"On this level, anytime you play and not even have the ball, you see a lot of guys get hurt when they're not even involved in the play," Brown stated.

Jesse Chatman, who has served as Brown's preseason counterpart, both in the backfield and on kick returns, is also an interesting option. After a few years bouncing around the NFL as mostly a special teamer, followed by a battle with weight problems, Chatman has seemingly returned to form. Though he hasn't had a chance to make a real impact in the return game, other than as a blocker, his exploits in the backfield would suggest that the former Charger could be a legitimate return option.

Perhaps the most alluring candidate in the race to be the kick returner might be third-team running back Lorenzo Booker. The rookie third-round pick from Florida State has averaged 21.3 yards on three returns during the preseason, flashing glimpses of the gamebreaking ability that made him a first-day selection. To Booker's detriment, however, he is inexperienced as a returner, and as a rookie, he might be more of a project for the future than an answer for a team that is looking to compete in the AFC East this season.

In a few years, the job will eventually be Ginn and Booker's to lose, but the Dolphins need to replace the versatile Wes Welker right now. Brown will probably be the starting kick returner on opening day, but having your No. 1 running back taking extra shots is an invitation to disaster.

The best option for the Dolphins at this point might be to put Chatman deep with Booker, letting the former do most of the heavy lifting while the latter learns on the job for the rest of the season. Although, truth be told, it sure is refreshing to see Ronnie Brown batter opposing special teamers and then proceed to bounce into the offensive huddle on first down.

If I had to guess, the rigors of a full NFL season, which are magnified at the running back position, will prove to be too much of a strain for Ronnie Brown to bear, forcing coach Cameron to look elsewhere for a spark on kick returns. But in the meantime, it should be fun watching this somewhat unorthodox position battle unfold.

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CommentsComments: 8  |  Sign Up  View all comments
No.1
rai		03:55 AM
08/28/2007
Having two rookies returning kicks is a risky plan, but we'll see how Ginn and Booker turn out once the real games start. Baptism ...
No.2
bond david bond		05:33 AM
08/28/2007
I think that jason allen should have a chance at punt return and wide receiver, since he is still struggling at the cornerback ...
No.3
jax		05:57 AM
08/28/2007
I think Jason Allen should have a chance to catch on with another team. Seriously, the reason why Brown and Chatman are back ...
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