Coming into training camp and the preseason for the San Francisco 49ers, it was an open question who the primary kick and punt returner would be.
While it seems like the matter was settled when Jacob Cowing returned a punt for a touchdown in the preseason tilt against the Los Angeles Chargers, the Niners quietly added a player who could be an insurance option if Cowing doesn’t pan out.
San Francisco signed cornerback Brandon Codrington to the practice squad. He’s played for the New York Jets, Buffalo Bills, and Houston Texans and has had some success as a returner in the NFL. He averaged over 11 yards per punt return in 2024 and over 27 yards per kick return that year. His numbers were a little worse in 2025, and he got let go after just four games that season.
He is an ideal insurance option to have on the practice squad, and as David Lombardi noted on social media, the fact Codrington has some familiarity with San Francisco’s current special teams coordinator, Brant Boyer when he was with the Jets, could give him a leg up over other options.
Maybe that’s the kick in the pants Cowing needs to remind him the returner job is not his indefinitely. He is going to have to perform in order to keep that job, so if he muffs a punt or just isn’t getting the most out of his returns, then the 49ers may decide to shake things up and go with Codrington.
Those aren’t the only two guys in the mix, though. Deebo Samuel is definitely an option, although the Niners probably don’t want him getting banged up in the return game when they’re going to need him on the offensive side of the ball.
Jordan Watkins could be an alternative as well. He returned punts in college at Ole Miss and even took one to the house in 2023. He averaged roughly 8 yards per return, so he’s at least a viable option.
Whoever assumes the role will have to fill the shoes of Skyy Moore, who was probably San Francisco's best returner since Ted Ginn Jr. in the early 2010s. The Niners haven’t had a punt return for a touchdown in a regular season game since Ginn did it in 2011. The last kick return for a touchdown was back in 2018 when Richie James took one to the house.
Maybe this is the year the Niners can finally get some special teams touchdowns and continue to build upon the progress they made in that phase of the game in their second year under Boyer.
Cowing will likely get the first crack at it but Codrington could factor into the picture at some point.
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