Starting games off in 2024 is going to be a lot different than we’re used to in the past and it may help explain one of the Cleveland Browns’ underrated free agency signings.
The NFL is shifting toward a new kickoff setup that will look like the one below. Owners around the league voted for the rule change to pass at league meetings.
The new kickoff is similar to the one that is used in the XFL and is meant to make the play safer, while also allowing more kickoffs to be returned.
Cleveland signed RB/KR Nyheim Hines as a free agent and he should be looked at as the leader to take over on returns. Hines did not play in 2023 but he had two kickoffs returned for a touchdown with the Buffalo Bills in 2022.
Over the course of his career, Hines has been a guy who can cause havoc in space with the ball in his hands. While he isn’t expected to take a ton of carries, the Browns can see Hines as more of a special teams impact. As it currently looks, returners could be as important as ever with the new kickoffs.
All but three teams approved the kickoff change to happen, so the league as a whole is ready for something new there. Kickoffs can be one of the most entertaining plays in sports and we should soon see more.
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