Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur confirmed running back Tyler Ervin will be the team’s new primary punt and kick returner.
The Packers claimed Ervin off of waivers from the Jacksonville Jaguars on Tuesday.
In addition to becoming the No. 1 returner, LaFleur also likes what Ervin can potentially provide on offense.
“He’s an elusive guy, he’s got some juice, he’s pretty fast,” LaFleur said Wednesday. “And I also like his versatility in terms of adding some depth to our running back position and he’s played a little in the slot as well.”
Ervin, a fourth-round pick in 2016, has over 500 career punt return yards and 700 career kick returns over his four NFL seasons. In college, he returned three kickoffs and two punts for touchdowns and produced as both a runner and receiver (73 catches his last two seasons).
Ervin will bring speed and explosiveness to the returner and running back positions. At the scouting combine in 2016, Ervin ran the 40-yard dash in 4.41 seconds and had top numbers in the vertical leap (39″) and broad jump (10-10).
For his career, Ervin has averaged 21.1 yards per kick return and 8.3 yards per punt return, with longs of 36 on kicks and 57 on punts.
The Packers have used Trevor Davis, Darrius Shepherd and Tremon Smith as returners this season. Davis was traded, Shepherd is on the practice squad and Smith was released. It’s now Ervin’s turn to attempt to fix one of the NFL’s worst return groups.