Forget kicker?! Who will return kicks and punts for LA Rams?

In the mix

Of course, one player who is in the mix returns from last season, 5-foot-10 180-pound wide receiver Nsimba Webster. While his previous experience with the Rams would normally be an advantage, I do not see much boost to his winning the job in 2020 due to his seven punt returns in 2019, as well as two kick returns. While he has some experience, his numbers are too light to project anything in 2020.  He’s familiar with the role, and that is about all he has going for him so far.

While 5-foot-7 173-pound Greg Dortch is also a veteran, he was signed in January 2020 to an LA Rams futures contract.  He was a return specialist for the Carolina Panthers in 2019,  Again, his volume was very light, but he has some success in returning punts. His production when he did get his hands on the ball flashed brilliance.  He’ll definitely be one player worth keeping an eye on.

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Other veteran players who should compete for a return role

Running back Darrell Henderson would be very wise to lobby for special teams play. After all, his rookie debut for the LA Rams was anything but memorable. And the competition is too heated in 2020 for him to be passive about his spot on the team and await the ball to come to him.  So the 5-foot-8 208-pound running back needs to plug into the game however he can. Big runs in the return game is certainly a sure-fire way to do exactly that.

Another player who would be very wise to toss their hat into the ring is wide receiver, Josh Reynolds. While many Rams fans have lobbied for this season to finally give Reynolds his opportunity to shine on the roster, he too faces incredibly stiff competition. In his contract year, he needs to reprove to the coaches just how valuable he can be.  The 6-foot-3 196-pound wide receiver is a huge target for QB Jerod Goff on routes, but he can add a great deal of value to the team by rotating in as an alternate for punt returns.