The New York Jets added two more players to their kick returner race
The consensus among New York Jets reporters is that Tarik Cohen will make the roster as the team’s kick returner. Jets X-Factor’s Robby Sabo said he would be surprised if Cohen did not make the roster. Robert Saleh praised Cohen’s shiftiness in a press conference while noting that Cohen still needs to get back his long speed. The former Bears running back is receiving many looks out of the backfield, too.
Still, the Jets’ kick return competition is still wide open. Third-round receiver Malachi Corley, speedy undrafted free agent Tyler Harrell, and undrafted free agent Brandon Codrington, a standout punt returner in college, have seen return reps.
Tuesday’s training camp practice saw two other returners who haven’t been discussed as much: rookie running backs Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis.
Jets practicing kick returns. Rookies Braelon Allen, Malachi Corley and Isaiah Davis all getting reps.
— Zack Rosenblatt (@ZackBlatt) July 30, 2024
On the surface, the addition of the pair seems interesting. Allen (6-foot-1, 235 pounds) and Davis (6-foot, 220 pounds) are both bruisers. Allen has solid speed for his size but takes a while to get up to full speed. Davis ran a 4.57 in the 40-yard dash and is more consistent than explosive.
Still, both players have some intriguing potential as returners. Just as Corley has the “YAC King” moniker for his ability to break tackles and run after the catch, Allen and Davis gain many yards after contact by running through tackles. Though Corley is faster (4.47), the running backs have more experience setting up blocks and running behind their blockers.
Davis, in particular, excels in this area. Among the strengths Joe Blewett listed are his patience, pressing one gap to open another, guiding his blockers, lateral agility, quick cutting for his size, good inside vision, and acceleration. Those are all skills that could translate well to the overhauled return game even if his long speed is pedestrian. Michael Nania ranked him as the Jets’ second-best kick returner option behind Corley for this reason.
Davis had seven kickoff returns (long of 50 yards, average of 32.6) in college, while Allen had none. It’s impossible to know whether either one will be able to properly judge a kickoff and field it cleanly without muffing it.
Many fans underrate the difficulty of catching a kick for a player without experience. Although fielding punts might be more difficult, catching kicks can also be tricky. In an environment with funky kickoff rules, that’s a critical factor to keep in mind.
It does still seem that Cohen has the advantage in this area. Still, the fact that the Jets are giving their rookie running backs a shot is at least noteworthy. As they scrape all corners of their 90-man roster in search of the best fit, this is a camp battle worth keeping a close eye on.
