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Detroit Lions' Amon-Ra St. Brown, Donovan Peoples-Jones, Maurice Alexander in punt return mix
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- Detroit Lions' Amon-Ra St. Brown, Donovan Peoples-Jones, Maurice Alexander in punt return mix
The Detroit Lions are weighing three options to handle punt return duties this week against the Los Angeles Rams if Kalif Raymond can't go because of his knee injury.
Lions special teams coordinator Dave Fipp said Thursday he anticipates one of Amon-Ra St. Brown , Donovan Peoples-Jones or Maurice Alexander replacing Raymond as the team's primary punt returner for the start of the playoffs, and the final decision will depend on how the Lions manage their roster to account for injuries.
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"I think there's still some things with the roster depending on injuries and what not, who can come up, who can come down for us," Fipp said. "Obviously, we've got (Sam) LaPorta and it's well documented Leaf's situation, where he's at. So for us it'll be the best player for our football team that we have available for us to use, that we think can also manage the role."
Both LaPorta and Raymond suffered left knee injuries in last week's win over the Minnesota Vikings .
Detroit Lions punt returner Kalif Raymond is chased by NaJee Thompson of the Minnesota Vikings during the first quarter at Ford Field on Jan. 7, 2024 in Detroit.
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Lions coach Dan Campbell said LaPorta's knee is "improving," but the team won't have a good read on his availability until Friday at the earliest. Raymond is considered doubtful for Sunday.
The Lions only have two healthy tight ends on their 53-man roster, James Mitchell and Brock Wright , who missed the past three weeks with a hip injury. If LaPorta can't play, they likely will elevate one or both of tight end Anthony Firkser and fullback Jason Cabinda from the practice squad for Sunday's game.
Alexander, a standout return man in the USFL in 2022 , also would need to be elevated from practice squad in order to handle punt returns this week.
Teams are allowed two practice squad elevations per game, and the Lions also have elevated defensive tackle Tyson Alualu from practice squad the past two weeks.
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"The great thing about Mo is he's quick," Fipp said. "He's a good ball catcher, he's a very quick starter and he can make a lot of guys miss, especially short areas, tight spaces. And then he does a good job of attacking the coverage and opening up running lanes or holes and moving people, moving defenders and helping make the blockers look a little bit better than maybe they are by creating some space for himself.
"So obviously the challenge there is the whole roster management. You can bring two practice squad guys up, who are those two guys going to be? Where do you need the help the most? What's going to make the team best? It's not just any one phase, but making sure that we're doing the best thing for the whole team and I think that's where Dan and Brad (Holmes) and those guys, that's the challenge that they have in front of them. So it's not necessarily who's the next best returner, necessarily, but also what's the best combination for the whole football team and in this game, to help us win."
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Detroit Lions wide receiver Maurice Alexander (15) returns a kick against New York Giants during the first half of a preseason game at Ford Field in Detroit on Friday, August 11, 2023.
Peoples-Jones averaged 7.9 yards per return as the Cleveland Browns ' primary punt returner in 2020-23 with one touchdown. He has not handled any returns since coming to the Lions in an October trade.
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St. Brown had one fair catch on a punt return as a rookie in 2021, but has not returned punts on a regular basis since college. He typically serves as the Lions' emergency return man behind Raymond, but the Lions are wary of asking too much of their leading receiver.
Fipp said Jameson Williams likely won't be in the mix for punt returns.
"I see him a little further down the line than the other guys I mentioned," Fipp said.
Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com . Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Lions' answers for punt returner with Kalif Raymond injured
