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With the NFL potentially tweaking its kickoff rules, the Carolina Panthers are preparing for a season that could see more returns than ever before. The league’s competition committee has proposed shifting touchbacks to the 35-yard line, incentivizing teams to keep the ball in play rather than automatically accepting the touchback.
For a Panthers squad that already saw the most kickoffs in the league last season, this change could have a major impact on their special teams strategy. Now, the real challenge lies in finding the right player to handle the extra returns.
Kickoff Rule Changes Could Shift Strategy
The proposed rule adjustment, pending approval at the owners’ meeting, is expected to increase return rates to between 60 and 70 percent. Last season, just 32.8 percent of kickoffs were returned under the league’s new “dynamic kickoff” format. That was still an increase from 21.8 percent the previous year, when touchbacks were placed at the 20-yard line.
For the Panthers, this rule change would have significantly altered their 2024 season output. They received a league-high 112 kickoffs, with 66 resulting in touchbacks—tied for the fourth-most in the NFL. If those touchbacks had instead been returnable under the new rules, Carolina could have gained an additional 330 yards last year.
But special teams coordinator Tracy Smith is already a believer in returning kickoffs rather than settling for touchbacks. The Panthers ranked last in average drive start in 2024, beginning possessions at their own 28.8-yard line—nearly a yard below the league average. That alone makes Carolina one of the teams most affected by the proposed adjustment.
Who Will Handle Returns?
The biggest question now is who will step up as the Panthers’ primary returner. Last season, Raheem Blackshear played a key role, finishing second in the league in total return yards (791). However, much of that was due to the sheer number of opportunities he had, and his 25.5-yard average fell 2.1 yards short of the league-wide average (27.6 yards).
Blackshear remains unsigned after not being tendered as a restricted free agent, leaving the Panthers without a clear return specialist heading into the season.
Potential Candidates on the Roster
While the Panthers still have free agency and the draft to find a returner, a few in-house options could fill the role:
- David Moore (WR): A reliable, if unspectacular, punt returner with an 8.5-yard average and some experience on kickoffs.
- Xavier Legette (WR): Showed flashes last year, returning four kicks for 102 yards (25.5 avg.).
- Rico Dowdle (RB): Has returned 10 kickoffs over four seasons but is expected to play a bigger role on offense, making him less likely to take over full-time.
The Road Ahead
The Panthers have time to sort out their returner situation, whether through free agency, the draft, or internal competition. But with kickoff return rates expected to rise, finding the right player will be more crucial than ever.
If the rule change is approved, Carolina will be one of the teams most directly affected, making their returner search a key storyline to follow heading into the 2025 season.