The kick return game could one day be eradicated, but in the meantime, the Kansas City Chiefs will need to find someone to fulfill the crucial special teams duty in 2023.
Last season proved to be a mixed bag for Kansas City in this phase. I covered this in detail in my 2022 Chiefs special teams review back in February, and found that the Chiefs fell in the middle of the pack at returning kicks with running back Isiah Pacheco last season.
Pacheco’s abilities were only partially to blame for his 16th place finish in the NFL’s in kick return average rankings among those with 17 or more kick returns. The Chiefs’ subpar blocking was largely to blame, but regardless, the job might not be Pacheco’s in 2023 anyway — less because of his ability, and more because of his increased role on offense.
During training camp and preseason, expect special teams coordinator Dave Toub to try out several players — rookies and veterans alike — for the kick returner role. His goal will be to find a player who can help the team earn over 25 yards per return over the course of the season, a feat that the team hasn’t accomplished since 2020. Below are the players expected to compete for the returner spot: