The NFL recognized last season that an element of excitement was missing from their games. That was the absence of kickoff returns. Getting the fans up and juiced was always something those did. However, constant rule changes in the name of player safety eventually led teams to finally give up and start kicking the ball through the end zone, settling for touchbacks. The Chicago Bears were right there embracing the same reality despite their long and storied history in the return game. Thankfully, the league realized something had to change. Eliminating kickoffs wasn’t making the game better.
So they decided to take a cue from the former XFL, who pioneered a new kickoff strategy that separated both teams by five yards. The kicker and returner would be the only ones granted distance on the play. Neither side is allowed to engage until the ball is fielded. This diminishes the occurrence of high-speed collisions, which led to constant concussion issues over the years. While this will lead to more opportunities for big plays, it may also require a strategy change for the Bears. One such thing is the ability to tackle from whomever kicks the ball off. Kickers and punters aren’t exactly known for that.
It is why teams like Kansas City have experimented with position players filling the role, giving them an extra reliable tackling presence. Bears special teams coordinator Richard Hightower admitted to Pro Football Talk that he’s thinking along the same lines.
“Anybody with a helmet that can kick off,” Hightower said, “is always in play.”
Hightower said all 32 special teams coaches are trying to work out the optimal strategies for their own teams, and look at how to attack opposing teams.
“The rest of the league got to figure it out,” Hightower said.
Bad teams are caught flat-footed by rule changes and never devise proper strategies to deal with them. That hasn’t been the case since Matt Eberflus took over. He and his staff have always been proactive in learning the rule book and seeking ways to take advantage of it. The Bears feel they have two legitimate returner options in Velus Jones and DeAndre Carter. Now, they have to ensure their coverage unit is capable of handling such a drastic shift in how the play is executed. Having a position player kick off may sacrifice distance, but it should improve their ability to limit big returns.
Cairo Santos is not the likely option here. That leaves the Chicago Bears with two options. Either they trust punter Tory Taylor with the job or see if they can find a position player with a good leg. Taylor has the size to handle tackling duties at 6’4, 225 lbs. It isn’t clear if he has the ability. That might be determined in training camp. Hightower certainly has work to do. Chicago must have their strategy in place by the end of August.
