It's been a couple of years since Cordarrelle Patterson was returning kicks for the Atlanta Falcons. It's been even longer since Devin Hester was returning punts in Atlanta. But looking at the current options on the roster, the Falcons don't have anyone close to that level. More than that, they only really have, at best, league average options to return kicks and punts for them in 2026 if they don't continue to add to the roster.
The Falcons have a real issue at kick and punt returner. Just going through career and lifetime averages for these guys and honestly, I don't see a single guy who isn't replacement level at best as a returner on here. #DirtyBirds pic.twitter.com/aVnBBpgqeL
— 𝑺𝒄𝒐𝒕𝒕 𝑪𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒔𝒊𝒌 🏈🇬🇪🇺🇦🇱🇻🇺🇸 (@CarasikS) March 28, 2026
As shown here, the best careers at kick returner belonging to Brian Robinson and Deven Thompkins and the best punt returners being Mike Hughes or Thompkins isn't an ideal situation. The Falcons need to look into options to improve the group. They can search in free agency or the draft or even in undrafted free agency for potential gems. There are a lot of really solid options out there, and Atlanta should look into fixing this group as soon as possible.
The Atlanta Falcons need to add some juice to the kick and punt return game this offseason
In free agency, the Falcons could look towards Deebo Samuel, who has been a solid kick returner through his time in the league, but at 30, he's not the guy he once was. Brandin Cooks might be an option, but there's the same issue of age there with Cooks being 32. No one else currently available in free agency has really shown to be worth the time. This leads us to the draft for legitimate competition for this role.
Early rounders normally aren't ideally selected to be return men. That being said, someone like Zachariah Branch could be an ideal selection. He's similar to Steve Smith, Sr. from Carolina where he might have to have his early impact as a third wide receiver and kick returner. Branch is a blazer with an RAS of 9.11 who ran a 4.35 in the 40 and is explosive with the ball in his hands.
He can perform well in the slot on screens or deep routes and has shown his mettle as a return specialist with 586 punt return yards and 752 kick return yards in his career at Georgia. He'd be a great pick to solve this problem, but might be elevated above it quickly.
In that vein, maybe looking into a late rounder would be the right move. In the seventh round, the next Tim Dwight could be sitting right there in Iowa's Kaden Wetjen. He's one of the most dynamic returners in college football over the last three seasons.
He's posted over 1,500 yards on his 56 kick returns and two touchdowns while also gaining over 950 yards on his 54 punt returns for four touchdowns. He's not much on offense yet, but for a guy who's running a 4.47 in the 40 and has the vision that he has to create yards, the Falcons could easily find a spot for him.
The Falcons do have a way to solve their biggest issue on the team of getting a quality return specialist, but they need to address it and not put hopes in there for Deven Thompkins to develop into someone that he isn't. Atlanta has the resources to make this work, and they have definitely spent late round picks and money on worse players for the role in the past.