Steelers fans, can you imagine Justin Fields, who could end up as the starting quarterback, returning kicks?
Well, special teams coordinator Danny Smith has gone past the imagining phase. He’s actually talked about it. That’s according to running back Jaylen Warren, who chatted all things Steelers during Cam Heyward‘s draft party podcast.
“I mean, I would think it would be pretty cool,” Warren told Heyward . “As soon as you touch the ball, that’s when everything starts to happen. But our special teams coordinator was talking about Justin Fields being back there. We looked at him like ‘Justin Fields gonna be back there?’ I don’t know, I think it’s cool.”
Steelers prepped for new rule by signing electric returner
The NFL owners, at their annual meeting in late March, made a huge change to special teams. They borrowed the idea from the XFL in hopes of enlivening kickoffs. Because for at least one season, there will be no fair catch. Forget the term was ever in your football vernacular.
Here’s a quick summary of the changes the Steelers and the 31 other teams must absorb. On the kickoff, the kicker stands alone, setting up the ball at his own 35-yard line. The kicker then can’t cross the 50 until the returnman catches the ball or the ball hits the turf.
Meanwhile, the remaining 10 players on the kicking team will line up at the receiving team’s 40. There must be five lined up to each side. Also, each player must have one toe on the 40 before the play can start.
As for the receiving team, most of them will be five yards away from the kicking team. Seven players will line up at the 35-yard line. Also, two more players can be in the so-called set up zone, but they will line up outside the hashes.
The receiving team also can field two returners. If a team only uses one, the other guy can be in the setup zone between the 30 and 35.
The Steelers already were working on the rule change as it was announced. The team signed Cordarrelle Patterson, one of the top returnmen in the league. But maybe the Steelers will want to use two returnmen. And maybe this is where Fields comes in.
At least right now, Russell Wilson, who signed in March, will be the Steelers QB1. Pittsburgh traded with the Bears for Justin Fields, who started in Chicago for the last three seasons. Warren says Fields likely is the fastest guy on the team.
Offensive coaches will likely say no to Fields in return game
We’re thinking coach Mike Tomlin and new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith don’t want one of their quarterbacks returning kicks. Although he’s not starting, Fields is much too valuable of a player to risk him getting injured.
But Fields could be electric in the role of returnman. So Steelers fans, it’s cool to imagine what it could be like. You got to get yourself to training camp.
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