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Well, here's a flash fire for you...

Jarrad Hayne from a different sport in Australia.

No, I do not favor Mr. Walters as our punt returner, never have no way.

This here guy can return punts, and get downfield on Mr. Ryan's punts and make a tackle ... and step into it for Mr. Ryan and punt if necessary.

He is 26 years old, weighs 220, and won MVP of Austalian rugby two years.

He is headed to LA to train for the transition to the NFL.

Longshot players get ready to drool:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yItnEVoD0VQ#t=415

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I've always thought players who are transitioning to football should try the CFL first.
With the larger field and lesser competition, it would give everyone a barometer of whether they can pick up the basic nuances of football.

He certainly has the measureables, but does he have the desire to make the sacrifice to play this game at the necessary level? It's a huge learning curve.
I think a lesser league could provide most of the answer.

I'm quite content with Walters returning punts. He's not going to break any big ones like Golden Tate did, but he doesn't take stupid chances ala Earl Thomas (thank God that experiment ended) and he gets the ball upfield when there's an opening. He doesn't make fair catches inside his 5 yard line like I've seen some do.

My biggest requirement of any punt returner, or kick returner in general, is that they don't put the ball on the ground. A turnover on a kicking play is always on the bad side of the 50 and almost always within scoring position for the opponent. You might as well hang at least 3 points on the board when you fumble a punt.

I find myself in agreement with North Hawk. Let this guy ply his trade in Canada first, maybe even that phony indoor league before we give him serious consideration.

So, Dog, you are content with a "punt receiver" and see no value in someone who might be a "punt returner".

Walters normally fair catches, and that's good enough?

You don't need anyone who might spark an offense or give the kicking team heebie jeebies?

Sorry, that ain't good enough for me.

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Key component in a successful punt returner is intelligence to know when to return, when to fair catch, and that they do NOT put the ball on the ground. Period. Everything after that, is gravy. If the guy can do it, great, but you certainly don't "test" whether he can during a game, Walters has had success returning punts throughout his career, and makes good decisions. If there is an upgrade to be made, you make it, but assuming this guy IS an upgrade, is way , way premature

HumanCockroach wrote:Key component in a successful punt returner is intelligence to know when to return, when to fair catch, and that they do NOT put the ball on the ground. Period. Everything after that, is gravy. If the guy can do it, great, but you certainly don't "test" whether he can during a game, Walters has had success returning punts throughout his career, and makes good decisions. If there is an upgrade to be made, you make it, but assuming this guy IS an upgrade, is way , way premature

Absolutely. I am of the opinion that a good punt returner is one that doesn't F up. Fair catching successfully is a win on a punt. Getting any plus yards is a win on a punt. Not fumbling the ball is a win on a punt. I would also like to add that Walters hasn't had enough of a body of work to judge because WE HAVEN'T MADE ENOUGH 3RD DOWN STOPS ON DEFENSE FOR HIM TO BE ON THE FIELD AS A PUNT RETURNER. Sorry about that, my caps lock must have been stuck. Don't know what went wrong there.

Bird Droppings wrote:So, Dog, you are content with a "punt receiver" and see no value in someone who might be a "punt returner".

Walters normally fair catches, and that's good enough?

You don't need anyone who might spark an offense or give the kicking team heebie jeebies?

Sorry, that ain't good enough for me.

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I am not adverse to an upgrade. But I don't want any experiments or projects at that position due to the consequences of a mistake. If this guy can prove he's worthy of a shot, then fine. But let's try him out in preseason first. I see no urgency at this point. Walters might not be the second coming of Devon Hester, but he doesn't hurt us.

And as far as Walters fair catching a lot, yes, that's fine with me. So far as I can tell, I haven't seen a situation where he shouldn't have made the fair catch.

I'll yield to my friend HC's analysis of what makes a good punt returner, as it is very close to that of my own.

Hey, I'm saying sign Haynes as soon as possible.

He still has a contract for a season with the Eels in Australia.

I'm not sure a buyout is possible because of his status down under.

But after hearing PC's press conference saying he couldn't talk about and such matters should be directed to The Schneid it would not surprise me if some kind of contingency was in place regarding his future with the Hawks.

We need Kenny Rogers to sing about punt returners as gamblers, or gamblers as punt returners.

Please remind me when Walters breaks one, and I'll remind you when he drops one (a punt, not a pass).

If neither happens by season's end in that regard, then Haynes starts as punt returner next year if he has been signed.

But Brian Walters is not gonna win the all in pot in my estimation.

He won't even get into position to still be in it against the money guys.

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Punt returners should never , ever be viewed as a "gamble", they for lack of a better term are the "security blanket" of the team. "Gambling" with possessions is a quick exit to the door, and nothing else.

http://espn.go.com/nfl/statistics/playe ... PuntReturn

Yeah, Roach, but sometimes they win the pot...and a smart gambler bets more than he can afford to lose

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I suppose, but the odds ALWAYS even out in the end..... I would rather be the guy walking away each and every time even, than the one who won big once, and then "dissapeared" to a shallow hole somewhere out in the middle of the desert. Just sayin'

An update on Hayne from Australia says he has resigned from his rugby club, effective immediately.

He will not even participate in the upcoming four nations rugby tournament.

He is in L.A., or will be shortly.

Here's an update featuring quotes from some PC guy, among others:

http://www.news.com.au/sport/nrl/jarryd ... 7092169539

And this info popped just before the Harvin bombshell.

C'mon, they couldn't possibly sign him onto the 53 and have him returning kick-offs in another month, could they?

Do you take a spot on the 53 now to sign the guy, then make him inactive until he is ready?

If you sign him, who do you cut? .... DB Terrell, TE Allen, or?

Perhaps you move someone else to IR.

Is this Hayne guy ... and the Australian press called his announcement this week "a bombshell" a sign-now necessity because other teams could sign him?

It turns out his visit to the VMAC was in the bye week, and no coaches were around for him to talk to ... so PC was not being completely evasive in this weeks news conference where Hayne took up four minutes of questions and answers from the head coach.

This is the only team he visited, but he is welcoming all comers to his training in LA.

I say this is a perfect time to pick up a spare tire before we cross the dangerous last half of the season landscape.

Of course, against the Rams, their kick returner could be special .... ah .... er .... either way.

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