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May 26, 2016Remember those DeSean Jackson comparisons? Well, when the Cleveland Browns drafted wide receiver Corey Coleman with their top pick, he was expected to be a player that would not only be a threat on the outside for whoever starts at quarterback, but to also spread the field for the running game and other receivers as well. But, the rookie may have one more task on his plate his first season in the NFL. On Wednesday, special teams coordinator Chris Tabor said that Coleman is the leading candidate to return punts, per cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot.
“I’ll be honest with you, I never think of them as first-round draft picks. If that’s the best option and player that you have, that’s what you want to do.”
Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown may now be a rival, but for Coleman, he is an elite player to emulate. Considering Brown is arguably the best receiver in the NFL, that’s not a bad role model to have. The Steeler not only catches passes, but he is also counted on to return punts.
“If it’s going to help you win, that’s what we want to do. I don’t get caught up in where a guy’s at just from this standpoint: Antonio Brown for the Steelers might be regarded as one of the best players in the NFL, and he’s their punt returner.”
The leading candidate to returns punts, Coleman will also have a shot to return kicks as well, taking the spot of since departed (to the Chargers) Travis Benjamin in all facets. Although he was not a punt returner at Baylor, the playmaker has plenty of experience returning kicks. As a Golden Bear, the Dallas Texas native had 25 kick returns for an average of 26.3 yards per return and one touchdown. But, after having 17 kick returns his sophomore year, his opportunities decreased during his junior (five) and senior (three) seasons.
“He can do both [kick and punt return]. He’s an explosive player and he’s developing right now so we’re working on all of those things. He obviously has great speed. He has some really good short-area quickness, a make-you-miss type guy and then has a good burst to go. He’s doing a nice job for us and we’ve just got to keep developing him.”
According to NFL Network’s Mike Mayock, Coleman just needs to have the ball in his hands in order to make things happen. If he has the opportunity to return punts and/or kicks along with being a wide receiver, he will have plenty of opportunities to be a game-changer.
“He’s a dynamic playmaker. Think Percy Harvin, that’s the kind of playmaker that he is. He has a quick start and explosive speed … He’s special with the football in his hands.”
Even with Coleman as the frontrunner to be the team’s punt returner and possibly the team’s return kicks as well this upcoming season, Tabor admitted that cornerback Justin Gilbert and running back Raheem Mostert, who shared kick returning duties last season, will have another shot to hold down that position on special teams heading into 2016.
“Obviously Justin Gilbert did a nice job for us, Raheem Mostert when we picked him, he did a really, really good job for us, so I think we’re in good shape there. In the punt return area, we’re developing guys and I think we’ll be fine. I’m excited about the guys that are working at those spots, the Colemans of the world and Mosterts of the world and Tramon Williams has obviously done it a long time in Green Bay before he came here. We’ll be fine.”
With plenty of questions surrounding the offense, the more chances the 5-foot-11, 194-pound speedster has to touch the ball the better. Given the issues the Browns have had fielding competent quarterbacks, the team might as well let the opposition give him the ball.
8 Comments
Hopefully he kept his nose clean while he was at Baylor…
This is the total opposite of Gilbert. Smart PR move, man.
It’s not his nose I’m worried about . . .
i am starting to dislike the comparisons to percy harvin … flashy player with great promise , but what did he really accomplish ?? … i want/expect much more than that from coleman.
… and no matter how you slice it , returning punts is hazardous duty … if you want him to make plays , get him the ball on offense.
i think he’s talking physically. percy harvin is a huge head case with also a littany of injuries and not known for rehabbing.
Any punt returner just needs to know how to NOT GET BLOWN UP on a return. If they can not fumble and do that, they’ll be fine,
Deion Sanders and Rod Woodson were two of the greatest players in NFL HISTORY and their teams had no qualms letting them return punts. If he can do, let him do it.
hi SCRIPTY … sanders & woodson were defensive players. coleman will have plenty of opportunities to make plays on offense.
if they put him back there & he wants to do it … that’s good enough for me.