With the NFL’s new kickoff rules designed to encourage more returns, San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel is eager to get a chance to field some kicks.
“I wouldn’t mind doing it from the start,” Samuel told David Bonilla of 49erswebzone.com (via Pro Football Talk’s Charean Williams). “I’m a team-first player, so if [head coach] Kyle [Shanahan] said, ‘Hey, we don’t want you doing it full-time. We’ll just use you when we really need it,’ I’m fine with that. But if you want to use me full-time, I’m all for that as well.”
Throughout his five-year career, Samuel has returned only nine kicks, averaging 25.4 yards per return. Last season, he returned six kicks for 154 yards. During his time at South Carolina, Samuel was an exceptional kick returner, averaging 28.4 yards per return and scoring four touchdowns on kick returns over four seasons.
Given his crucial role on the 49ers, it’s understandable why he hasn’t been the primary kick returner, but that could change with the new rules intended to minimize injuries on kickoffs.
This season, kicking teams will line up on the 40-yard line and cannot move until the ball touches the ground or the player in the landing zone. The returning team will have nine blockers lined up between the 30- and 35-yard lines, with at least seven blockers touching the 35. Additionally, return teams can have two returners positioned inside the 20-yard line.
These new rules aim to reduce high-speed collisions and encourage more returns.
It’s still unclear if the 49ers will have Samuel return kicks this year, but it could lead to some exciting plays if they do.
