Electric Duo: Williams and Arnold Ready to Shock the League with Big Returns

Kalif Raymond has unfortunately been sidelined and placed on the injured reserve list due to a foot injury suffered against the Indianapolis Colts.

 

Maurice Alexander held that role during the annual Thanksgiving Day Classic, but was waived to make room on the active roster for a trio of defensive additions. Against the Green Bay Packers, the team could be searching for a new option to handle punt and kickoff returns.

Amon-Ra St. Brown handled the punt return duties in the emergency situation after Raymond’s injury against Indianapolis.

Special teams coordinator Dave Fipp told reporters this week two players in particular, Jameson Williams and Terrion Arnold, have been lobbying to get action in that role since Raymond’s injury.

Leading up to the game against the Bears, Williams admitted that he did ask to return punts following the injury.

“I did in the game (against the Colts). I did in the game,” Williams said last week. “But I think we’ve got other plans, someone else will be back there.”

On Monday, Fipp acknowledged that both Williams and Arnold have vocalized their desire to contribute in the return game. Williams has experience from his time at Alabama, having returned 10 kicks for a total of 352 yards and two touchdowns during his season with the Crimson Tide.

While Fipp appreciates their desire, he wouldn’t go as far as declaring that they would get these opportunities.

“So, the one thing I will – I’ll just tell you, the one thing I love, there’s two guys on this team that will beg to be back there all the time and I respect the heck out of them for it,” Fipp said. “But it’s Terrion Arnold, he wants to go back there and touch the ball, and (Jameson Williams) Jamo, they want to go back there and touch the ball. I love it, it doesn’t mean they’re going to get that, but I love the fact that they want to do it because there are some other players that probably are hoping that their number’s not called, it’s just the reality of it.”

Fipp likened the two players’ desire to contribute to that of a pair of former top returners in Darren Sproles and DeSean Jackson. Both players were strong contributors for their respective offenses, while also being threats each time they touched the ball in the return game.