LOS ANGELES – Wide receiver Tutu Atwell's speed so far has been used as as a field-stretching and yards-after-the-catch target in the passing game over the last two seasons.
This season, his speed could be an asset in another phase: As a returner in the new kickoff format.
"I'm gonna be back there this year," Atwell said. "You're gonna see some of Tutu at kick returner."
Returning kickoffs is nothing new to Atwell, though the sample size was small. As a rookie in 2021, that was where he contributed through the first eight games before suffering a season-ending injury. In those eight games, he averaged 17.4 yards per kickoff return across five returns for 87 yards.
Those statistics came under the old format. The new format – which is currently in place as a one-season trial run – will author in a new approach, and has special teams coaches incorporating run concepts because of the way returns are structured.
Rams special teams coordinator Chase Blackburn during OTAs this spring described it as an "offense to defense play" and mentioned having the team's offensive and defensive coaches involved in coming up with concepts.
"We've been practicing on it, trying to get a feeling of it," Atwell said of the new format. "I had a couple reps, other guys had a couple reps, and it looked good. So hopefully we practice it some more in training camp, and we're gonna see how to goes from there."
Asked if he's given Blackburn and assistant special teams coach Chili Davis any ideas about ways to use him, Atwell said the group worked on a few during OTAs but ultimately stopped, but he's hoping they'll resume that work during training camp.
"When I found out about the new rule, it was like, 'man, dang, I could... knowing you got guys coming down full speed, but they gotta wait till I catch the ball?'" Atwell said. "It's gonna be dangerous. I'll take a chance at that this year."
