49ers Finally Have A Return Weapon In Hayne
The 49ers have a weapon. This a weapon has never played football before, is from a foreign country and is competing for a roster spot with other guys who have played the game their whole lives, yet he stands out among the rest for one skill: returns.
Jarryd Hayne has been the main topic of discussion around the league during this year's preseason, but not because of an injury or off-field issue like most news this offseason have been surrounded by. No, instead the "Hayne Plane" as he is known as in Australia, his home country, is tearing up the return game for the San Francisco 49ers.
Over the last five seasons, the 49ers have had a dry spell in the special teams return game. Over that span, the 49ers have seen 181 punt returns (does not include fair catches) and 226 kick return opportunities (kick offs that did not result in a touch back). While those numbers are league average, the amount that have been returned back into the end zone are sparse.
Just twice on a punt return and once on a kick off have the 49ers returned a ball for six sweet points in the last five years. That is not good. At all.
What is good, is the 49ers have brought a guy who may be the solution. Hayne has returned five punts and one kick-off in two preseason games, so his numbers are a small sample, but watching him run has been pretty good evidence he has what it takes to handle kick-offs and punts in the NFL.
The former rugby star has put up a 33-yard kick-off return when the 49ers averaged 23.7 yards per return over the past five years. Yes, maintaining a 33-yard return per kick-off is highly unlikely over the course of a season, but it's a clear improvement to whatever they tried in previous years.
His punt returns have been even more impressive.
The 49ers averaged 10.0 yards per punt return from 2010-2014, but in the five punts Hayne has returned thus far, three have surpassed 20 yards and his average is sitting at a comfortable 21.6 yards.
Not only are his numbers impressive thus far, but his composure and comfort returning kicks and punts have been evident watching him on the field. The hardest part of returning punts is knowing when a big hit is coming or when you have time to catch it and run for a decent return. A lot of times, the 49ers previous returners would fair catch almost exclusively to prevent them from being hit. Hayne has taken zero fair catches so far, being fearless of the defense.
There are two more preseason games before the final cuts are announced - two more opportunities for Hayne to lock up a spot on the 49ers roster (hopefully as the main return man). It would be stupid for the 49ers to cut Hayne, because every other team in the league is watching him every chance they get.
