With Ray-Ray McCloud, the kick returner for the San Francisco 49ers the past two seasons, departing in free agency, the Niners are now in the market for a new kick returner.
This article will explore five potential replacements for McCloud.
5 potential kick returners for 49ers after Ray-Ray McCloud's departure
Special teams has never really been a strength for San Francisco under Kyle Shanahan. It has at times been a weakness and ultimately has seemed mostly like an afterthought.
Really, the 49ers as a team have not had a truly good kick and punt returner since Ted Ginn during the Jim Harbaugh years. It's hard to remember the last time the Niners had a kick or punt return for a touchdown. Perhaps when Richie James did it in 2018?
The 49ers signing McCloud prior to the 2022 season was meant to address their kick-return game. While McCloud was not terrible, he was certainly not one of those game-changing returners we have seen in the NFL like Devin Hester or Tarik Cohen.
It will be interesting to see what the 49ers do to address this hole for kick and punt returns. They have options internally, but there are also proven kick returners on the free agent market as well as intriguing prospects available in the NFL Draft.
It seems unlikely that the Niners will splurge at this position or try to swing a big trade to land one of the premier returners in the game. Shanahan seems to only want a guy who can reliably catch the ball and not fumble.
Let's take a look at five potential names who could be returning kicks for San Francisco in 2024.
Potential kick returners for the 49ers: Ronnie Bell
Ronnie Bell is probably the most likely internal candidate to be a kick and punt returner for the 49ers next season. He filled in for Ray-Ray McCloud last season when he was injured.
Fans may be rolling their eyes because, although Bell did not lose any fumbles, he did fumble one punt before he was able to recover it. Most fans will just remember being nervous seeing Bell back there. Any young 49ers wide receiver with No. 10 on his back is likely to make Niner fans nervous.
Perhaps in his second season, Bell will have made enough strides and will have matured enough to take the role and run with it.
At the same time, we know how difficult it is for young receivers to gain the trust of Kyle Shanahan, so Bell may have a very short leash if he returns kicks and punts for the teams next year.
If the 49ers want a more experienced returner, there is a big name available in free agency.
Potential kick returners for the 49ers: Cordarrelle Patterson
One of the more proven names on the market, Cordarrelle Patterson could be an option for San Francisco at kick returner.
He has spent time as a wide receiver and a running back in his career, mainly as a running back as of late with the Atlanta Falcons. How fitting would it be that the Falcons get the Niners' returner in free agency and then the Niners get the Falcons returner?
In his career, Patterson has nine kick returns for touchdowns. Pattersons is currently ninth all time in career kick-return yardage.
Patterson's last contract was two years for $10.5 million. Perhaps if the 49ers could get him on a one-year deal in the $5 million range, it would be worth it to have a guy who has the potential to return kicks for touchdowns.
Free agency is not the only avenue in which the 49ers could get a kick returner, there are also some available in the NFL Draft.
Potential kick returners for the 49ers: Luke McCaffrey
The 49ers already have one McCaffrey, so why not add another in Luke McCaffrey? The younger McCaffrey impressed as a wide receiver in college at Rice University. He also had an impressive NFL Combine where he barely beat his brother Christian's 40-yard-dash time.
To be fair, Luke McCaffrey's return numbers are very small. He had a 32 yard punt-return back in 2022 and one punt return for 3 yards in 2023. However, he did have a 20-yard punt return in the Senior Bowl.
Even if he does not have a lengthy return history, it stands to reason that he is athletic enough and skilled enough as a player that it is a skill he could learn if the 49ers do end up drafting him.
We will have to see where McCaffrey falls in the draft. It would be awesome to see him get to play alongside his older brother, and the 49ers may also be getting a player with potential as a punt and kick returner.
Turning back to free agency, there is another more proven option if the 49ers are looking for a veteran to return kicks.
Potential kick returners for the 49ers: Deonte Harty
Veteran kick returner Deonte Harty has played for both the New Orleans Saints and the Buffalo Bills in his career. The last two seasons, he has primarily been a punt returner, but he has experience returning kickoffs as well.
Last season, he had 26 punt returns for 323 yards and a touchdown. The touchdown came on a 96-yard return. One may question why he returned the ball from the 4-yard line, but when you are that fast and have that kind of explosiveness, you can make plays from anywhere on the field.
Like Cordarrelle Patterson, Harty will probably command a contract in the $4 million to $5 million range. He is more expensive than other options, but he would give the Niners an explosive weapon on special teams.
The final potential kick returner we will examine is actually a familiar face for Niners fans.
Potential kick returners for the 49ers: Trent Taylor
49ers fans will remember Trent Taylor from the days when he seemed like he could be Wes Welker 2.0. Unfortunately, that is not how things worked out in San Francisco. He has still had a solid career with both the Cincinnati Bengals and Chicago Bears.
Taylor has been used as almost exclusively a returner in recent years. He had zero catches last season with the Bears.
Last season, he returned 23 punts for 188 yards for roughly 8 yards per return. Not great, but not terrible either. He did also have two fumbles last season, recovering one of them.
The Niners could get Taylor on a fairly affordable deal in the $1 million to $2 million range. Signing him would be a signal that they do not want anything crazy, just a guy who can catch the ball and hold onto it most of the time.
Those are five potential options for the 49ers at kick returner. As of right now, Bell seems to be the likeliest option. We will have to see whether the Niners choose to add a kick returner either in free agency or through the draft.