Falcons Punt Return Job 'Truly Open'

The Atlanta Falcons entered training camp with an opening at punt returner now that running back Avery Williams is slated to miss the entire 2023 season with a knee injury.

Williams' production will be hard to replace, as the former fifth-round pick led the NFL last fall in yards averaged per punt return with 16.2. Williams has returned 38 punts and 39 kicks for the Falcons in the past two seasons as their return specialist.

Fortunately for the Falcons, they have multiple players contending for the vacant position, according to ESPN's Michael Rothstein.

"[Punt returner] is one of the few truly open jobs and there's a bunch of candidates," Rothstein noted following the second day of Falcons camp. "Mike Hughes, Dee Alford, Scotty Miller, Penny Hart, Zay Malone, Keilahn Harris, and Bijan Robinson were all back in the returner area during special teams periods."

Falcons fans may grimace at the thought of Bijan Robinson returning punts during training camp, but there is nothing to be concerned about as the former first-round pick appears to be an emergency option.

"All players listed took reps that I saw except for Robinson, a reasonable sign he might be back there in case of emergency situation more than anything else," Rothstein writes.

Rothstein also noted that Atlanta's current No. 2 slot corner, Mike Hughes, 'took the first rep' during both special teams periods. 

Right now it seems Hughes has the inside track to becoming the primary punt returner in Atlanta after logging 21 punt returns and 185 return yards during his five-year career. Hughes was a return man for the Minnesota Vikings from 2018-2019, and also returned kicks for the Kansas City Chiefs in 2021.