The New Orleans Saints are going to spend a portion of training camp trying to figure out who will return kicks and punts for them this season, and head coach Sean Payton says the competition is about as wide open as a popular reality dating show.
When asked about the return game over the weekend, Payton said the Saints have around a dozen guys they are considering for the job. He then compared the candidates to contestants on “The Bachelor.”
“Our return game, it’s kind of like ‘The Bachelor’ right now,” Payton said, per Joel Erickson of the Williston Herald. “We’ve got about 12 contestants, all with roses. We don’t know who our returner’s going to be, and if she doesn’t like any of them, we’re bringing in more.”
Alvin Kamara was the best kick return man the Saints had last season, but they can’t be putting him at risk of getting injured with Mark Ingram suspended to start the season. Even when Ingram returns, Kamara is too important to the Saints offense to have him returning kicks. Ted Ginn Jr. has plenty of experience returning punts, but Erickson notes that he has had issues with ball security.
Kamara may not be one of the Saints players holding a rose at the moment, but special teams coach Mike Westhoff says that could change later in the year.
“I look at him right now, as a kick returner, in my mind I see Thanksgiving,” Westhoff said. “After Thanksgiving, he might be our guy, because with him, oh my goodness, look out.”
Judging by what Payton has already said about Kamara this offseason, he’ll probably be hesitant to use him in that role. Sorry, Alvin — no rose for you.
