Allen Park — Despite finishing fourth in the NFL in kickoff-return average last season, the Detroit Lions opted not to retain running back Godwin Igwebuike after this year’s training camp.
In many ways, that move was telegraphed when Igwebuike didn’t return a single kick during the preseason, but his release creates an obvious hole on game days that will need to be filled.
But if you were hoping to find out who would be handling kickoffs for the season opener against Philadelphia, you’re going to have to wait until shortly after 1 p.m. on Sunday, because special-teams coordinator Dave Fipp isn’t telling.
“I’m not going to give that away, obviously,” Fipp said Thursday. “We’ll find out on Sunday — and I’ll say I’m excited about it. We’ve had a handful of guys back there in the preseason and I think all those guys have done a good job.”
Yes, the Lions did have a handful of players getting reps at returner during the preseason — five, in fact — but only one, running back Craig Reynolds, remains on the active roster. He got his shot in the preseason finale against Pittsburgh, fielding two kicks. Before that, he hadn’t worked as a returner since his junior season at Kutztown University in 2017.
In addition to Reynolds, the Lions retained a couple of those preseason returners on the practice squad, running back Justin Jackson and wide receiver Maurice Alexander. Jackson previously handled kickoffs for the Chargers in 2019, while Alexander, who has never played in an NFL game, earned All-USFL honors with the Philadelphia Stars during the spring in that role. He also led the Lions with a 34.8-yard average during the preseason.
“I feel totally comfortable with it,” Fipp said. “I’d just put it like that. I would say it could be Craig; he’s obviously an option. There’re guys on the practice squad, depending on who we bring up, which is a whole ‘nother conversation. Based off that, it could be one of those guys.”
It’s also possible the Lions simply go with punt returner Kalif Raymond, who has extensive experience on kickoffs from his time with the Tennessee Titans (2019-20).
Regardless, it’s not just the return man who will be different for Fipp’s group this season. The team will be without its four snap-count leaders on special teams from a year ago after releasing Igwebuike, linebacker Anthony Pittman and safety C.J. Moore, plus fullback Jason Cabinda being sidelined by an ankle injury.
“There’s a challenge to it, for sure,” Fipp said. “I think if you looked at us from last year and the year before last year, we lost a lot of good players that year too. It really is just how it is on special teams every year. The longer I’ve done it, it’s like, yeah, it’s the same old thing.
“But the best part about this thing is building a group of guys and getting them to rally around each other and find a way to put them in the best position you can as a coach to hopefully make them as successful as they can be as individual players and try to get the most out of the group you’ve got,” Fipp said.
jdrogers@detroitnes.com
Twitter: @Justin_Rogers