The Bengals may have the big-ticket roster questions mostly settled, but one of the quieter competitions on the field could still turn into a real camp storyline.
When training camp opens Wednesday, Cincinnati will have several jobs worth tracking, and the returner spot is one of the most interesting. Quarterback and defensive tackle are already spoken for, but special teams coordinator Darrin Simmons said the battle between Charlie Jones and Ke'Shawn Williams is very much alive.
“I view it as a pretty good competition. I mean, Charlie's the incumbent guy,” Simmons said.
“He naturally should be. He's proven he can do it.
He's scored three times in three years. But, you know, he's got to be able to stay on the field.
And so I think having somebody like Keyshawn here pushing him in that regard is a huge factor.
“And I see it as a good competition. I see it as a competition as we go through training camp.
Both those guys are going to get a ton of reps. And I think it's just part of the equation.
I think also the other part of the equation is what they do on offense. Like, who do they feel the most comfortable with on offense?
If there's a deciding factor, it'll be what they do as a returner.”
Jones has the résumé edge. He has returned two kickoffs and one punt for touchdowns, and over the last three seasons he has averaged 9.2 yards per punt return and 27.3 yards per kick return.
The problem is availability. He has played in 33 games over that span, and he has only eight career catches for 69 yards.
He did not catch a pass last season.
Williams brings a different kind of appeal. He is younger, explosive and quick, all traits that fit the job description for a return man.
He caught one pass for five yards last season after joining Cincinnati late in the year. Before that, he appeared in eight games for the Steelers, who signed him as an undrafted free agent after four seasons at Wake Forest and one at Indiana.
In his three games with the Bengals, Williams averaged 10.6 yards per punt return and 25.4 yards per kick return.
Jones appears to be ahead right now, but Simmons made it clear this won’t be a formality. Both players should get plenty of work in camp, and the return job is one of the position battles worth keeping an eye on.
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