Seizing on New Rule, Bengals Kickoff Return Unit Can Give Jake Browning, Offense a Big Boost

CINCINNATI – With Joe Burrow’s surgery successfully completed and his recovery expected to take at least three months, the Cincinnati Bengals will be looking to tweak the offense in any manner possible to make things easier for backup quarterback Jake Browning.

One big thing that can help Browning and the offense is something that doesn’t need changed at all.

The Bengals currently rank fifth in the league with a starting field position of their own 34.3-yard line.

Part of that is because the Cincinnati defense is tied for third in takeaways with four, with three of them giving the ball back to the offense on the opponent’s side of the field.

But another part has been the kickoff return unit.

The group has yet to produce an explosive return with a long of just 37, but the results have been consistently strong.

“As long as we’re getting it across the 35 every time, I’ve got no complaints,” Samaje Perine said, referencing the new rule that gives teams the ball at the 35 after a touchback.

“I think we're doing great,” Charlie Jones added. “The guys are really understanding the plays that we're running, and they're really taking pride in their individual roles. They know that we can be really good, and it's showing right now.”

The Bengals rank a middling 16th in kick return average at 24.9

Perine has six returns for 154 yards (25.7), and Jones has three for 70 yards (23.3).

Last week against the Jaguars, both players found themselves in new roles.

Jacksonville refused to kick to Jones, resulting in Perine – who had eight career kickoff returns in his first eight seasons in the league – getting all six returns Sunday.

“I used to hate returning kicks, but now I don’t mind it,” Perine said. “I don’t know why I hated it. I never really had a reason. I just didn’t really feel comfortable back there.”

While Perine official had six returns Sunday, it technically was five return.

He muffed one of the kickoffs and was credited with 0 yards.

If you take away that one, he had five returns for a 30.8-yard average, which would rank as the third best mark in the league.

“I think Samaje did great Sunday,” Jones said. “Samaje was killing it. He's a tough dude to bring down. If teams want to kick away from me and kick to him, they're gonna have to pay.”

While it’s a new role for Perine to have that heavy of a load as a returner, it’s new for Jones as well.

In his first two seasons, most kickoffs resulted in either Jones returning the ball or a touchback.

But the Jacksonville plan forced the 190-pound Jones into a blocking role against some much bigger guys.

“Yeah, I've got to focus more on helping out when the ball's not coming to me,” Jones said. “It's tough. Obviously I want to be back there with the ball in my hands, but if it goes to Samaje, it's just as good.”

It’s not just Perine and Jones settling into new roles.

Among the other nine players on the kick return unit Sunday were rookie Barrett Carter, first-year player P.J. Jules, and new additions to the team in 2025 Mitch Tinsley, Oren Burks and Noah Fant.

Not only is Fant new to the Bengals, but he’s also new to special teams.

“There’s no background at all,” Fant said with a laugh.

He’s not only never played special teams, he never even repped them in practice during his time in Seattle and Denver.

“I've never taken any reps at it before, so I'm just figuring it out as I go,” Fant said. “Obviously (special teams coordinator Darrin Simmons) is a great coach, and we've had a lot of conversations about the inexperience I have. He's trying to bring me along as we go, and with how the roster is set up, I've got to be able to go in there and contribute.”

If you eliminate the attempt that resulted in Perine’s muff, the Bengals would have eight returns for 224 yards and a 28-yard average.

That would rank third in the league.

And that’s a pretty strong start for a group with so many guys in unfamiliar and/or brand-new roles.

“A lot of guys playing new positions or playing there for the first time, and they're being selfless and doing their jobs at a high level,” Jones said. “As a returner, I notice that and am appreciative of guys like that because I know it's probably not like that everywhere.”

Last year through the first two weeks of the season, there were 100 returns.

This year there were 256.

“All of these guys who are new to the unit are buying into it and knowing how important that play can be for us, especially with there being more of them,” Perine said. “Everybody knows we can potentially get the ball across the 50 before our offense even touches the football. It can be a really big play for us.”