Can we do better than Dujuan Harris as our kick returner?

Brandon

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Don't get me wrong, I love this kid. He hits lanes aggressively and seems to be good about making sure he holds onto that ball, but he seems pretty hard pressed to make it past the 25 yard line when he does take it out. Seems to me if we could find a speedier guy back there to give the best QB in football better field position we might be better served. Thoughts?
 

7thFloorRA

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You are really able to see things much clearer on the kick return at the actual game. Harris was getting the ball on the goal line or even between the 1-5 and was getting no where fast. Its not like he had any lanes though. The blocking seemed non-existent.
 

GoPGo

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Harris is plenty speedy. The issue is the blocking. But that's the trade-off you pay when you have a large annual influx of rookies. I can live with a mediocre return game as long as the coverage is good, and it has been.
 
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I thinks its a cocktail missing its punch.. that is..missing one half part raw speed, one half part return experience and one full part better blocking.. its a long way from being an award winning drink. My forecast for the draft was a surprise pick by the end of round 3 for a formidable return guy.. it slid way later in the draft and I called the position online live 5 minutes before Abby was picked as a desperation attempt to satisfy the first two 1/2 parts.. apparently the cards didn't fall right and it was more of an apology getting a KR in the late rounds. Then to add injury to insult.. Abbracadabra got hurt and it was back to the "Blackmon" plan.
 

searmh

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he is a safe pair of hands ( no fumbles) which for me is biggest and most important stat, and 15th in 20+ runs on kick offs..so he isnt too bad tbh
 
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The Packers are league average in starting field position after kickoffs (18th at 21.73 yards) so while we could do better on it I think Harris is an adequate kick returner. It´s important to secure the ball doing it and he has done a good job at it.
 

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In watching all of the games this year the one constant that I am not too thrilled with is the kickoff return ability of DuJuan Harris. The guy has some explosiveness to him but he just looks so pedestrian to me when he is returning and I can't wrap my head around it? I am not saying he is awful or costing us games in any way but I am wondering if someone else on the roster could provide more of a spark. He ranks 19th with a 21.3 yard average and ranks tied for 31st with a season long of 41 yards. Again, I am not saying "get this bum out of there" or anything but every game I keep waiting to see a big one get broke and 26 just seems to be plodding into a wall around the 20 more times than not. I am looking long term because come playoff time having a drive start at the 19 rather than the 38 could be the difference between points on the board and not. Am I crazy?
 

SoonerPack

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While I know that PR and KR are different I like the shiftiness Micah Hyde has and would like to see what he could do back there. KO is obviously more straight line speed but choosing the proper hole is also a big part of it and I think 33 could make some things happen back there. I know he is a key part of what we do on D so opening him up to further punishment may not be the most wise of decisions. Janis would really be intriguing back there but he would obviously have to be on the active roster and if he's not being used on O that seems like a bit of a wasted spot. One of the reasons I created this thread was to see what everyone else on the site thinks and who they would like to see get a shot. Look, like I said DH is doing a "serviceable" job I suppose I am just not seeing the type of explosion I expected is all. Maybe he is the best guy we have for the job and if that's the case then so be it. What are your thoughts HE?
 

Vrill

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Why not bring in Trindon Holiday or someone like that? Just for KO duties.
 

SoonerPack

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Yeah Bensalama, I think Cobb could maybe do decent back there. ;) Man, looking at that pic of Nick Collins make me miss the hell out of him. I think people sometimes forget just how good he was and I honestly believe you could have been as good as he wanted to be. Sure hope the young man is doing well in his post-football life. The Holliday comment by Vrill is an interesting one. That kid is electric but I am not sure the Packers brass feel the need to make that drastic of a move considering he would bring nothing else to the table and we know that if need be DuJuan could step in and help out in the run game. Maybe it is what it is and DH is the man for the rest of the year. Hopefully I can eat a big bowl of crow after this Bills game and he breaks off a big one. Like I said I was just wondering if I was the only one surprised by the lack of explosive plays on KOR. I like DuJuan and sure as hell hope he can break off a few nice returns for us down the stretch because as I mentioned field position is always important especially come PO time. If we happen to meet up with the Hawks (I feel we will...) again I guarantee you that every yard extra we get will be needed! GPG!
 

7thFloorRA

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Its the blocking and not Dujuan. He has a wall of tacklers every single time he gets near the 20. It hurts even more when most of the return team is the hands team. They could split Janis back there with him but who knows if he has the hands to not fumble.
 

Powarun

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Keep Harris, third string rb is a decent position for the risky position. Looking at Ross now, think it is the Packers special teams don't help much
 

NOMOFO

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DuJuan Harris...love the kid. Wish he could get a couple snaps a game.
 

OCBP

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Its the blocking and not Dujuan. He has a wall of tacklers every single time he gets near the 20. It hurts even more when most of the return team is the hands team. They could split Janis back there with him but who knows if he has the hands to not fumble.
Harris seems to have the energy. As an RB when playing, his vision was great. Not sure if the lack of breaking a big one is a function of not visualizing lanes or the blocking schemes not creating them.

I still like his energy and quickness.
 

GoPGo

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In watching all of the games this year the one constant that I am not too thrilled with is the kickoff return ability of DuJuan Harris. The guy has some explosiveness to him but he just looks so pedestrian to me when he is returning and I can't wrap my head around it? I am not saying he is awful or costing us games in any way but I am wondering if someone else on the roster could provide more of a spark. He ranks 19th with a 21.3 yard average and ranks tied for 31st with a season long of 41 yards. Again, I am not saying "get this bum out of there" or anything but every game I keep waiting to see a big one get broke and 26 just seems to be plodding into a wall around the 20 more times than not. I am looking long term because come playoff time having a drive start at the 19 rather than the 38 could be the difference between points on the board and not. Am I crazy?
Kickoff returns are a team effort.
 

Pkrjones

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Harris is solid, not spectacular, and dependable. While I wish he'd take a knee more often I think the peace of mind that he gives the KR game is worth a LOT.
- As 3rd string RB he's necessary to be on the 45 man active roster every week, so there's not a "wasted" roster spot for a returner-only.
- According to NFL.com stats he's got 21 KO returns, and 13 are for 20+ yds. (ranking him 15th on the Returner list).
- Biggest stat, in my book (& maybe MM's) is that he's got ZERO fumbles. Get the ball back in AR's hands between the 20-35 yd. line and let the man go to work.

Jeremy Ross was exciting and had big play potential but just couldn't be trusted NOT to fumble the ball, so he was shown the door. I don't fear the ball on the ground (knock wood) with Harris back there.
 

El Guapo

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I don't fear the ball on the ground (knock wood) with Harris back there.
Ball security is more important to MM than the potential to gain extra yards. Rodgers and Lacy can get the yards, the Packers just need to make sure that the ball makes it into their hands every time.
 

SoonerPack

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Kickoff returns are a team effort.
Yes, yes it is a team effort. That's why I am asking if another member of the team could do a better job. Maybe it is the blocking but it appears to me that when there is a hole he isn't exactly attacking it. Just wondering if I am the only one surprised by the lack of explosive plays on KO and if so who others would like to see get a shot. DH has proven to be ball secure which is obviously a key component to being a successful returner.
 

Poppa San

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I thinks its a cocktail missing its punch.. that is..missing one half part raw speed, one half part return experience and one full part better blocking.. its a long way from being an award winning drink. My forecast for the draft was a surprise pick by the end of round 3 for a formidable return guy.. it slid way later in the draft and I called the position online live 5 minutes before Abby was picked as a desperation attempt to satisfy the first two 1/2 parts.. apparently the cards didn't fall right and it was more of an apology getting a KR in the late rounds. Then to add injury to insult.. Abbracadabra got hurt and it was back to the "Blackmon" plan.
IMO there wasn't a snowballs chance that TT would pick a pure KR in the top 3 rounds to only do that job. He already had Harris, Franklin (unjured hopefully) and Cobb for the role. Plus a few practice guys that turned out to be just camp bodies. Also later in the draft is usually where return guys are selected. As a returner was the only way Abby made the roster this year.
 

JK64

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We could definitely do better. Harris could be valuable as a back up for Lacy, though.
 

GreenBaySlacker

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21 yard average on kick off returns. No fumbles...... Dont fix it if it aint broke! LOL. We can open up competition next spring again.
 

JK64

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No fumbing is important. We sure don't need to give up field position like that with the defense being the way it is.
 

SoonerPack

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Don't get me wrong, I love this kid. He hits lanes aggressively and seems to be good about making sure he holds onto that ball, but he seems pretty hard pressed to make it past the 25 yard line when he does take it out. Seems to me if we could find a speedier guy back there to give the best QB in football better field position we might be better served. Thoughts?
FYI: There are some more comments regarding this topic on the forum home page under "Time to Reevaluate the KO Return Job". I posed a similar question earlier this week so it seems I wasn't the only one wondering if someone else could provide more of a spark. G P G!

Admin Question: Can these 2 links be combined?
 

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