The Cleveland Browns will need to make a change at punt returner following their trade of WR Donovan Peoples-Jones to the Lions earlier this week.
That change, however, might’ve already been hinted at in the Browns’ last game in Seattle.
WR Elijah Moore took the last two punt returns for the Browns in Week 8 after Peoples-Jones returned the first punt of the game. Moore did decent work on his two returns and gained 13 and 10 yards, respectively, and the 13-yard return matched the season-high Peoples-Jones had set in his 13 prior returns this season.
Special teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone listed Moore first when he was asked Thursday who could fill the spot on the depth chart.
“Elijah did it last week, and I thought he did a solid job,” Ventrone said. “We have some young guys on the practice squad who we’ll continue to look at, but I thought Elijah did a solid job last week.”
The job doesn’t appear to be Moore’s yet, especially after the Browns signed WR James Proche to the practice squad Monday. Proche, who has averaged 8.2 yards over 27 career returns, also joins WR Jaelon Darden as other possible returners. Darden has returned four punts for 39 yards with the Browns this season.
But the Browns using Moore on Sunday suggests he could continue to receive the first crack at the job.
Moore looked comfortable returning the ball even though those were the first two returns of his pro career. He had punt return experience in college, though it was never one of his strengths — he averaged 4.9 yards per return on 27 attempts.
“I evaluated him coming out of college,” Ventrone said. “He’s a natural catcher. He has good judgment and he obviously had the ability to make you miss. I felt like we needed a little bit of a spark back there.”
The Browns have faced injury adversity at the punt returner position each of the last two years after Pro Bowl returner Jakeem Grant suffered back-to-back season-ending injuries prior to Week 1.
Peoples-Jones had always been next in line for the role but often struggled to produce. He did score a punt return touchdown last season in Week 13 against Houston, but he was averaging only 7.9 yards per return this season, which ranked closer to the bottom among other returners around the league.
Perhaps the Browns could find a spark in Moore, who’s underwhelmed so far as a receiver and has totaled just 256 yards and no touchdowns this season. Moore, though, is second on the Browns to WR Amari Cooper in targets (48), and Cleveland is still searching for unique ways to get him the football.
Return duty is one avenue they’re willing to explore, but Ventrone said no decision has been made yet on who the role is going to next.
“We’re going to continue to give those guys reps and make an evaluation or decision at the end of the week,” he said. “It really plays off other positions on the team, the health of the roster and things like that.”
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