Analysis: Real test for NFL's new kickoff rule begins in the regular season

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The NFL’s new kickoff rule did what it was implemented to do in the preseason.

Still, we haven’t seen everything yet.

Nearly 300 kickoffs were returned in the preseason, a 70.5% return rate that was the highest since 2014. Last year’s return rate was 54.8%. There were 18 returns of more than 40 yards, also most since 2014.

The average start for the return team was the 28.8-yard line, an increase of 4.6 yards from 2023 and 4.1 from 2022. The average drive start was the 28 on kickoffs that were returned. Touchbacks result in offenses starting at the 30 this season, part of the major changes designed to increase the number of kickoffs returned after the play essentially became an automatic touchback last year.

Considering the preseason results, teams might be more inclined to just kick into the end zone. Giving up 2 more yards in starting field position probably isn’t worth risking someone breaking a long return.

“I don’t know if there’s a negative right now,” Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles said of the new rules. “There’s not a (large) body of work that everybody went through. There were some kicks that were stoned, there were some kicks that got out. I’m sure everybody didn’t show everything. I don’t know how much we’ve learned.”

Coaches expect kickoffs to evolve more now that the games count. Teams often are reluctant to show their hand in the preseason. Offenses and defenses play vanilla schemes, hold out starters and save their best plans for when it matters most.

That’s no different for special teams coaches.

“There’s probably a lot of people that were holding some stuff close to their vest. They didn’t want to throw anything out there where you could scout in terms of that nature,” Eagles special teams coordinator Michael Clay said.

“The first few weeks are going to be very interesting across the board, not just our opponents but across the league on what everyone is trying to do and trying to gain an advantage. Again, that’s the interesting thing about special teams; you always find the unknown and the uncommon. So we’re going to try and go out there and put our best foot forward.”

Bears special teams coordinator Richard Hightower said most teams used the preseason to evaluate players on kickoffs and had more man-on-man return matchups.

“There is a lot of strategy that hasn’t played out to the public yet,” Hightower said. “It’s a very competitive and strategic play that I think is going to help the team for sure.”

The preseason was an indication that kickers will be more involved in tackling. Kickers had 11.5 tackles plus assists, which was up from four tackles in 2023 and six in 2022.

Unfinished business

Four-time Pro Bowl running back Derrick Henry joined the Baltimore Ravens to be a difference-maker after the team had another disappointing finish in the playoffs.

Lamar Jackson led the Ravens to the best record in the NFL for the second time in five seasons and earned his second MVP award. But Baltimore lost at home to the Chiefs in the AFC title game. The Ravens were knocked out in the divisional round after going 14-2 in 2019 when Jackson won his first MVP award.

For whatever reason, the Ravens abandoned their effective run game in a 17-10 loss to Kansas City last January. Enter Henry, who has rushed for 1,000 yards five times in the past six years.

“That’s exactly why I came here because I knew that the main focus is finishing what they started,” Henry said. “You’re almost there, and I know they want to finally get to that end goal.”

And then there was one

New York Jets edge rusher Haason Reddick is the last player still holding out after All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams reported to the San Francisco 49ers on Tuesday. Reddick, who had 27 sacks over the past two seasons with the Eagles, was traded for a 2026 third-round pick that could become a second if he reaches certain conditions.

Reddick is due to make $14.25 million in base pay this season in the final year of a three-year, $45 million contract. He’s been one of the league’s premier edge rushers and played a major role in helping Philadelphia reach the Super Bowl two years ago.

Getting a deal done and adding Reddick to an already fierce defense would certainly be a significant boost for the Jets, who are hoping Aaron Rodgers can lead them to their first playoff berth since 2010.

League of their own no more

The NFL begins the 2024 season with 15 women holding full-time coaching positions, the most for any male professional sports league. Over the past five years, there has been a 187% increase of women in football operation roles. Twelve of the 15 coaches attended the Women’s Forum, which launched in 2017.

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AP Pro Football Writer Dennis Waszak Jr. contributed.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Rob Maaddi, The Associated Press