Cornerback Micah Hyde Will Get More Work As Punt Returner
With last season's returner, Randall Cobb still sidelined with a biceps injury, the Packers are looking for someone to step into the punt returner role. During Saturday's preseason victory over the Rams, cornerback Micah Hyde got his first chance at the job. Hyde must have impressed, as Mike McCarthy made this comment during Monday's post practice press conference.
Hyde given opportunities to make plays and he did...will get more chances on punt returns this week. — Packer Report (@PackerReport) August 19, 2013
#PACKERSmicroblog
Comments (16)
August 19, 2013 at 02:54 pm
Love this move. Hope he takes the job and doesn't look back.
August 19, 2013 at 03:07 pm
Bye bye Ross.
Hello Walker.
August 19, 2013 at 03:45 pm
I was thinking Ross could make the team still as the KR.
August 19, 2013 at 05:41 pm
If Ross isn't the primary returner I don't see him on the roster.
August 19, 2013 at 05:42 pm
Exactly what I thought.
August 19, 2013 at 11:04 pm
So Cow, you are saying Walker over Ross?
This is how I view it. The question is this. Is Ross more valuable as strictly a kickoff returner than the seldom used Franklin will be as the 5th or 6th receiver?
Ross has a special skill at returning kicks (not punts) and that skill is much more valuable than what Walker can bring as a receiver. If I am making the call, I keep Ross. Special teams is way too important to go cheap.
August 20, 2013 at 02:01 am
IIRC Ross averaged about 15 yds per punt return at Cal. If Ross is gonna make the roster, he needs to handle both PR and KR. Just not valuable enough if he is only doing one, not both. I like his potential at WR too, but that's all it is. As yet he hasn't shown anything at WR. If he can do both PR and KR, he has a roster spot, if its one he isn't worth it IMO.
August 20, 2013 at 11:46 am
I understand what you are saying Stroh and under most cases I would agree but what makes me think they'll keep Ross hell or high water now is Randall Cobb's injury. No way is Cobb returning kicks or punts with that long term biceps injury. They'll be lucky if he plays WR all season they way this is looking.
You take Ross away from kickoff returns (which he's extremely good at) and they have absolutely NOTHING!! Ross at least gives them good field position possibilities on kick offs which is very valuable to the team. He can play WR so I say he makes the team on kicksoffs solely regardless of punts and inconsistencies at WR.
If Cobb was healthy I would probably agree with you. He would need to do both but Cobb is not healthy as we know. Maybe Micah Hyde can also return kickoffs? I do know one thing. Franklin sucks on special teams!! and he's a waste at rb. Cow was right on that one.
August 19, 2013 at 05:39 pm
Been waiting for this since last game. If Hyde proves sure handed and a good returner it saves a roster spot for a better WR or other player.
August 19, 2013 at 06:29 pm
Go watch his highlights from Iowa. He's great carrying the ball in space. After an INT or a punt. Obviously not break away speed, but a smart runner. Hyde has the experience and can do the job adequately. Hyde's a gamer. This is a good move they were keeping in their back pocket. Ross and Franklin failed to step up and made this necessary.
August 19, 2013 at 08:11 pm
Hyde showed excellent return skills after INTs at Iowa. He was also a good, reliable punt returner, though didn't handle kicks much.
These two from his sophomore year were pretty memorable:
vs MSU:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1c38qRcg1U
VS MIZZ (BOWL):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YM4L8WQeNMo
August 19, 2013 at 10:57 pm
The more I watch Hyde, the more he reminds me of Mark Lee. Anyone remember him? He was a good corner and he also returned punts early in his career.
I do like how natural he looked catching that punt and at this point that's the best we can hope for. Just catch the damn ball. Forget about returns. If he can do that we're fine.
Ross is a great kickoff returner so I expect him to still have that job. To be frank, Franklin should be cut or traded. He can't catch punts and he's about no. 5 on the running back chart in my opinion.
The way I see it TT rolled the dice, he hit on Lacy thank God and Franklin floundered. Same as Brian Brohm and Matt Flynn. As long as one of those were hits is all that matters.
Hyde is also a hit. He's going to be one hell of a football player. TT struck gold in this draft big time.
August 20, 2013 at 10:55 pm
Great post. Franklin could be trade bait. In the draft several teams were interested in him, albeit at lower rounds, so someone may want to take a chance on him (perhaps a team that already has a power back and needs more of a speedy back?). Franklin's game is speed, he needs a strong mauling Offensive line to open up running lanes through which he can run untouched - quite a luxury in today's NFL.
August 19, 2013 at 11:35 pm
Good. Hope he becomes a solid option so they don't have to give Ross a roster spot just on returns alone. First of all Ross is not that reliable returning (bears, 9ers playoffs) and he can't catch a cold. If Hyde can return there is no reason to keep Ross at the expense of White and Walker who already look exponentially better than Ross as pure route running pass catching WR in this offense.
August 20, 2013 at 03:53 am
Final 53 (minus the active declared) a very short list. Let's see what happens next week, and hope GBP chooses well.
August 20, 2013 at 10:48 pm
For a high-powered offense like the Packers the primary requirement for a KR or PR should be to catch the ball cleanly and/or make smart decisions. Do we really need a Devin Hester on this team to win games. Sure I would take a Devin Hester any day, but not at the cost of shaky catching ability (Ross, Franklin, Shields). Its not like Rodgers/Lacy desperately need the Kick returner or Punt Returner to gain that additional 10 or 20 yards to get a touchdown.