The Atlanta Falcons have suffered a major blow to their special teams unit with the news that their top punt returner, Avery Williams, has been ruled out for the season with a knee injury. Williams was injured during the team’s Week 4 game against the Carolina Panthers and was subsequently placed on injured reserve.
Williams had been an integral part of the Falcons’ special teams unit since joining the team in 2018. He had returned a total of 44 punts for 454 yards and one touchdown over the past two seasons. He was also a reliable tackler on kickoffs and had recorded 11 tackles in 2019.
The loss of Williams is a major blow to the Falcons’ special teams unit. He was a reliable returner who could make plays in the open field and was a reliable tackler on kickoffs. His absence will force the team to look for a new punt returner, as well as a new kick returner if they choose to move on from current starter Kenjon Barner.
The Falcons have already begun to look for replacements for Williams, signing former New York Giants returner Kalif Raymond to their practice squad. Raymond is a speedy returner who has returned both punts and kickoffs in his career. He could be a potential replacement for Williams, but it remains to be seen if he can fill the void left by the veteran.
The Falcons will also need to find a new punt returner for the remainder of the season. They could look to veteran receiver Russell Gage, who has returned punts in the past, or they could opt to sign another free agent returner.
The loss of Avery Williams is a major blow to the Falcons’ special teams unit, but they will need to find a way to replace him if they want to remain competitive this season. It remains to be seen who will step up and fill his role, but it is clear that the Falcons will need to find a suitable replacement if they want to remain competitive in 2020.
