Raiders special teams: New rule means guaranteed touches, renewed vigor

Special teams coach Tom McMahon says there’s no shortage of interest in return man, specialist in Las Vegas

Can’t quite grasp the NFL’s most recent rule change when it comes to kickoffs?

You’re likely not alone.

But leave it to Las Vegas Raiders special teams boss Tom McMahon to break it down in layman’s terms. The long-time special teams coach provides neat context on the league moving the dead ball spot on touchbacks to the 35-yard line.

“I think the biggest change is last year there were 2,800 kickoffs and 2,000 or more touchbacks. So, there’s 900 returns or about 850,” McMahon began when asked about the biggest change on special teams that’ll affect the Raiders after the team’s mandatory minicamp session this past Tuesday. “I think that number is going to go to 2,200 kickoffs and maybe 600 touchbacks, which is high in my opinion. I don’t think anybody’s going to give up the 35-yard line. Last year, the average drive start was the 30, and it ranged from the 31 down to about the 28.5.

“So, it’s going to be hard as coaches to say, hey, let’s just give them the ball at the 35, when a year ago the drive start average was the 30. So, I think that’s the biggest thing that’s going to change with that new touchback rule.”

Okay, that got a bit technical, didn’t it? But you get the basic gist: It’s hard to see NFL teams willing to yield the 35-yard line as the starting point for the opposing offense. Because of that, McMahon (who has been the Silver & Black special teams boss since 2022) highlighted the guaranteed touches return men are potentially going to see in 2025.

“I think that the biggest thing is, for me, I look at it this way, the returner in this league now, especially if they’re your kick returner and punt returner, they’re the only player in the league that’s guaranteed 130 touches before the season starts,” McMahon said. “It’s never been like that. Never.”

Special teams work is often the easiest way of carving out a roster spot when it comes to the final 53 or even practice squad considerations, and the potential of guaranteed touches is creating renewed interest and vigor. For McMahon and the Raiders, there’s apparently no shortage in players wanting their chance at not only claiming a return job — on kickoffs and punts — but landing a gig on coverage units such as gunner on punts.

“Oh, yeah, everybody. Everybody wants to be the returner. Everybody wants to cover kicks,” McMahon noted. “Because production is, and it should be, where you make the money in this league.”

Who exactly fields the return opportunities — kickoff and punt — will be figured as the Raiders continues it offseason venture. Las Vegas reconvenes for training camp in mid-July but it’s encouraging to hear that interest in the return game is heightened.

There are a number of options for the Silver & Black as only three incumbents are back with any type of return experience in 2024: Wide receiver Tre Tucker and running backs Dylan Laube and Chris Collier. Tucker should be again in the mix along with the other two. And be on the lookout for rookie wide receiver Tommy Mellot. I mentioned both Mellot and Tucker has potential electric return men for the Raiders.

There’s also third-year wideout Kyle Phillips who was a return specialist at UCLA (with Chip Kelly as the Bruins head coach). Second-year receiver Shedrick Jackson has potential — for his 4.25 40-yard dash time at the Auburn pro day alone — but he didn’t have any return experience in college.

Las Vegas could go platoon/rotational at both kick and punt returns, but with finite 53-man roster spots, a dedicated specialist at those two spots is likely. But McMahon is expecting competition which should bring out the best option to field the kicks and punts. And again, the coach honed in on the participation rate.

“In 2003 I think was the last time it was in the high 60s percentile in terms of returns. So, if you’re the kick returner, and let’s say we only put one back there and let’s say there’s 100 kickoffs, you get 100 touches. So, that’s 100 catches. You’re the punt returner and there’s 80 punts; you’re going to get 40 more,” McMahon explained. “So, there’s 140 balls there that only that player gets. You look at it the other way, and our value for our core players has skyrocketed, because now they’re going to get 170 more meaningful plays a year minimum. You’re going to get 10 more a game; five kickoff returns, five kickoff covers. Do the math, 10 times 17, 170.”

But speed isn’t going to be the be-all, end-all for return men in Las Vegas. While it’s nice to be fleet of foot, having vision, elusiveness, mental and physical toughness are also critical. After all, it takes quite the courageous individual to field a kick or punt with defenders looking to drop you.

With teams likely wanting to avoid giving the opposing offense the ball at the 35, hands and anticipation will be vital. McMahon anticipates special teams crews across the league are going to experiment on how to make fielding kickoffs difficult in nature. Especially on boots that bounce and can ricochet in a variety of directions.

“I would say 100 percent. And when I say 100 percent, it’s not can you field it, it’s we have to provide that many practice reps. There’s no one that’s ever done this, so we’re trying to make it as hard as we can. And we’re fielding balls now that we couldn’t touch five weeks ago. We’ve got guys that got here as rookies and they couldn’t get to a ball at the seven that was a 2.9 hang time, and now they’re standing underneath it having a cup of coffee, talking to their folks, and doing a great job with it.

So, it’s practice. Practice is everything.”