Punters have gotten better each year at placing their kicks in spots that make it harder and harder to run back.Despite all that’s stacked up against them http://www.seahawksfootballauthentics.com/phil-haynes-jersey-authentic , there are still a few returners who can turn the sometimes mundane kicking plays into breathtaking ones.Miami’s Jakeem Grant beat out Kansas City‘s Tyreek Hill as the NFL’s top returner in 2018 in voting released Friday by a panel of 10 football writers for The Associated Press.Grant received the honor the same week he was placed on season-ending injured reserve with a leg injury.“Grant has a touchdown on a punt return and a kickoff return. Such a distinction is almost extinct thanks to the rule changes,” said Dallas-based Schuyler Dixon.Grant has excelled as an all-around returner, ranking fourth in kick return average (29.7 yards) and first on punts (16.3) before his injury. Only six players have enough returns to qualify for the league leaders in both categories.The return game is growing less important by the year. Nearly two-thirds (64 percent) of all kickoffs have resulted in touchbacks, the most in NFL history, and there have been fewer punt returns through 12 weeks than at any point since the merger. Grant has two of the league’s seven return touchdowns so far this season, the fewest through 12 weeks in a non-strike year and down from a high of 31 at this point just 11 years ago.Hill, who returned a punt for a score in Week 1, received five first-place votes to the four for Grant, even though he is not used on kicks and has just 17 punt returns as he plays a bigger role on offense.“Punts against the Chiefs are the wrong time for a bathroom break, with Hill and his five career return touchdowns in three NFL seasons waiting to catch them,” Minneapolis-based Dave Campbell said. “Wait until the commercial.”More Miami Dolphins newsDolphins sign hometown WR Allen Hurns to 1-year contractNew Dolphins coach Brian Flores has his own daily workout at training campDolphins assistant coach Jim Caldwell takes leave of absence to address health issuesTwo-time Pro Bowl safety Reshad Jones rejoins Dolphins after skipping voluntary practicesDolphins QBs Josh Rosen, Ryan Fitzpatrick embrace battle for No. 1 jobIn all Ugo Amadi Jersey , 21 players received at least one vote, with only Grant, Hill, Andre Roberts of the Jets and New England’s Cordarrelle Patterson appearing on all 10 ballots.Like Grant, Roberts is one of the handful of players to excel at both kicks and punts and finished third, one spot ahead of Patterson.“Roberts has been one of the few bright spots this season for a struggling Jets team,” New York-based Dennis Waszak said. “He has re-established himself as a dangerous dual threat in the return game, highlighted by a 78-yard punt return for a TD. Roberts also leads the NFL with three punt returns of 40 or more yards.”The other first-place vote went to Tennessee’s kick return specialist Darius Jennings, who ranked fifth overall and also has a return for a score.“Who? Yes, someone who came into the NFL as a rookie free agent out of Virginia and now is with his fourth different team is leading the league, averaging 34.8 yards per kickoff return,” said Nashville-based Teresa Walker http://www.clevelandbrownsteamonline.com/sione-takitaki-jersey , who voted Jennings first.Rounding out the top 10 were Chicago’s Tarik Cohen, Desmond King of the Chargers, Cincinnati’s Alex Erickson, Kansas City’s kick returner Tremon Smith, and JoJo Natson of the Rams.“Almost as exciting a player as Tyreek Hill, Cohen will get more touches on offense as his career moves along,” New York-based Barry Wilner said of Cohen, who was named on nine ballots. “That’s kind of disappointing because it means fewer opportunities to show his stuff on returns.”___The rankings:1. Jakeem Grant, Dolphins2. Tyreek Hill, Chiefs3. Andre Roberts, Jets4. Cordarrelle Patterson, Patriots5. Darius Jennings Sheldrick Redwine Jersey , Titans6. Tarik Cohen, Bears7. Desmond King, Chargers8. Alex Erickson, Bengals9. Tremon Smith, Chiefs10. JoJo Natson, Rams CINCINNATI (AP) — A.J. Green ran a deep route along the left sideline and caught Andy Dalton’s pass in stride, a sight the Bengals desperately missed during their last-place season.Green has fully recovered from surgery on his right big toe, the most promising development in an offseason of regrouping. He was limited in the first day of mandatory minicamp Tuesday, but only because the new coaching staff didn’t want to push him too hard.“A.J.’s been cleared to do everything,” first-year coach Zac Taylor said. “But we’re just going to put him out in individual (drills) and let him run around a little bit and not do any of the team stuff. I know what to expect from A.J., so it will be good just to see him catch balls from the quarterbacks. But we’re not going to give him too much work.”Green missed nearly half of last season with a torn ligament in the toe . He finished with 46 catches for 694 yards — both career lows — and six touchdowns. The Bengals also lost Dalton for the last five games with a turn thumb ligament.A last-place finish in the AFC North prompted the Bengals to fire coach Marvin Lewis and hire Taylor from the Rams . The offense finished last in the league in 2017 and near the bottom again last season.The main focus for the offense in minicamp is learning yet another new system. Brian Callahan is the Bengals’ third offensive coordinator in the last three years, a dizzying rate of change that has contributed to the poor showings.Although Green hasn’t been able to fully participate in offseason workouts Kaleb McGary Jersey , Dalton thinks their eight seasons together will compensate for the missed time.“I understand how A.J. runs routes,” Dalton said. “There’s obviously going to be some new stuff that we’re doing now, but it’s easier with guys like that. It’s easier with guys I’ve thrown to and I know how they work.”Tight end Tyler Eifert was held out of practice as he recovers from a broken ankle that sidelined him for the last 12 games. He signed another one-year deal. Eifert has been limited to 14 games over the last three years because of injuries to his back and ankle.TOP PICK LIMITEDLeft tackle Jonah Williams wore a jersey but didn’t participate in the afternoon practice. Taylor said Williams, the 11th overall pick in the draft, got “a little dinged-up” during practice last week. It’s unclear how long he’ll be held out of practice.NEW GUYGuard John Jerry signed a day before minicamp, replacing second-year guard Rod Taylor, who was waived. Jerry has been with the Dolphins and Giants during his eight-year career, sitting out last season.COACHESFormer Bengals linebacker Brandon Johnson and cornerback Cortland Finnegan are this year’s coaching interns as part of the Bill Walsh NFL Minority Coaching Fellowship program. Johnson was with the Bengals from 2008-11 and is currently the head coach at Betty Fairfax High School in suburban Phoenix. Finnegan spent 11 seasons with the Titans, Rams, Dolphins and Panthers.
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