The Kansas City Chiefs’ punt return team was, quite frankly, bad last season.
That is, up until the postseason when receiver/returners Skyy Moore and Kadarius Toney broke off game-changing returns in the AFC Championship Game and the Super Bowl, respectively.
Buy Chiefs TicketsKansas City hopes to carry that momentum into 2023 with its punt return subunit, albeit with a different squad than last year’s. Several contributors on the Chiefs’ punt return squad are no longer on the roster entering 2023, meaning there’s potential for improvement.
Let’s look at who’s left and who’s back on the Chiefs’ punt return team, and who will be contributing for the very first time.
Top 2022 Chiefs punt return contributors
These 14 Chiefs led the team in punt return snaps in 2022:
S Deon Bush
LB Leo Chenal
LB Jack Cochrane
S Bryan Cook
TE Jody Fortson
TE Noah Gray
LB Darius Harris
CB Chris Lammons
CB Trent McDuffie
WR/PR Skyy Moore
CB L’Jarius Sneed
WR/PR Kadarius Toney
WR/PR Justin Watson
CB Joshua Williams
Four of the above players are not on the Chiefs’ 53-man roster heading into 2023: Bush, Fortson, Harris and Lammons. Bush is on Kansas City’s practice squad. Harris and Lammons moved on in free agency. Fortson would have made the team but is out for the season with a shoulder injury.
It’ll be interesting to see how the Chiefs replace the production of Fortson and Lammons, two of the best players on this subunit last season. Fortson was very good at pressuring the punter, coming close to blocking multiple punts. Lammons was an excellent jammer, succeeding on over 70 percent of his plays by my grading system.
Projected 2023 Chiefs punt return contributors
The Chiefs could use almost anyone on this subunit, but here’s who I expect to come in and contribute right away for the first time:
S Chamarri Conner
S Mike Edwards
WR/PR Richie James
LB Cam Jones
CB Nic Jones
WR Justyn Ross
CB Darius Rush
Others who could contribute are:
LB Leo Chenal
LB Jack Cochrane
S Bryan Cook
TE Noah Gray
WR/PR Skyy Moore
WR Rashee Rice
WR/PR Kadarius Toney
WR/PR Justin Watson
CB Joshua Williams
Special teams coordinator Dave Toub hasn’t outright said who the team’s starting jammers will be, but my guess is Rush and Williams will take those spots. Conner and/or Nic Jones could see time there as well. McDuffie and Sneed were frequently featured as jammers last year, but neither was particularly good at the role, so it’s best if those two stick to defense if possible.
In between the jammers, expect Bell, Edwards and Cam Jones to see some work. The punt returner spot has been won by Richie James, who had 174 yards on 24 returns last year with the New York Giants. Toney and Moore might see time at returner, as could Watson and even Ross in a pinch.
If injuries occur, there are some practice squad guys who could be called up and earn time on this squad. That includes Bush, cornerback
Ekow Boye-Doe, tight end Matt Bushman and receiver/returner Montrell Washington.
