Hope in Jones for Kickoff Return Domination

When it comes to the Carolina Panthers, kickoff return men hold a sort of legacy that no other position for the team does. Carolina’s uncanny ability to return kickoffs has largely been thanks to the incredible Michael Bates, a Panther from 1996-2000 and five-time Pro Bowler in his five seasons with Carolina, but Bates’ tenure with the Panthers is now brought up again with the team’s newest returner, a five year NFL veteran and first year Panther Mark Jones.

The Panthers hope Jones will continue where Bates left off, returning kicks to favorable field positions over and over. Jones is next in line to a revolving door of return men including Randy Baldwin, Jamall Broussard, Isaac Byrd, Nick Goings, Richard Marshall, Jamal Robertson, Ryne Robinson, Rod Smart, Dwight Stone, Steve Smith and DeAngelo Williams, although most of the players failed to shine like Jones did. Smith was the team’s only other return man to return 10 or more kicks with an average of more than 24 yards, but now Mark Jones hopes to reclaim the throne for Carolina. Last week Jones returned three kicks more than 40 yards (42, 50 and 45), and he averages 26 yards a return. Could he be the new Michael Bates? Only time will tell.

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