GREEN BAY — With Jeremy Ross no longer gainfully employed by the club — although, oddly enough, coach Mike McCarthy isn't ruling out him rejoining the team — and Randall Cobb clearly a vital part of the offense, the Green Bay Packers aren't exactly overflowing with options on kickoff and punt returns.
As of Monday, when the team released Ross following his muffed kickoff that helped put the team in a 14-0 hole less than six minutes into Sunday's 34-30 loss at Cincinnati, McCarthy and special teams coordinator Shawn Slocum hadn't decided what they'd do to replace him. The Packers are off this week for their bye and return to action Oct. 5 against Detroit.
"I don't know that," Slocum replied when asked if Ross' replacement is on the roster or would come from outside. "We'll have more discussions on that as we go through today and this next week. Fortunately, we've got a bye week and then we'll get into our game plan for Detroit."
Ross had some big moments late last season — a 58-yard punt return in the Packers' Dec. 23 victory over Tennessee, and a 44-yard kickoff return and a 32-yard punt return against Minnesota in the regular-season finale on Dec. 30 — before his costly fumble against the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Divisional Playoffs. He had an up-and-down training camp but the Packers kept him at the final cutdown, and on six kickoff returns this season, he was averaging a horrendous 12.5 yards per return. On punts, Ross averaged 10 yards on two returns, with two fair catches.
In the opener against the 49ers, Ross hesitated on a ball kicked into the end zone and, combined with a penalty, left the Packers starting a series inside their own 10-yard line. Then came Sunday's gaffe.
"We haven't given up on Jeremy. He's had some opportunities, he's done some good things for us. But there's some things we may have to shift as we move forward from a roster standpoint/ He's obviously not with us right now but I'd have no problem working with him again," McCarthy said. "We always have an idea (about a replacement) but as far as how we prepare, and really with the game plan, and as we go into the game with Detroit will determine which direction we go."
The Packers did use Cobb sparingly on returns during the first three games, but he leads the team in receiving with 21 catches for 290 yards. Rookie running back Johnathan Franklin could be an option on kickoff returns, while rookie cornerback Micah Hyde could handle punt returns. Both saw action in those roles in preseason.
"We'll put someone out there that can function and do the job the right way," Slocum said. "I think going back to last spring until this point, any time I've been asked a question or our head coach about who our returner was, Randall's always been part of the mix. That hasn't changed.
As for Ross, the mistakes simply piled up, from the lost fumble against the 49ers in the playoffs to the hesitation in the opener to Sunday's turnover.
"We had a big play yesterday and that's two in the last four games. Ball security's the No. 1 thing we do in the return game and we've got to play better than that," Slocum said. "I feel bad for Jeremy. He was a good pro when he was here but, at the same time, this is professional football and everyone has a job to do at a high level.
"I don't think he got off to a very good start on kickoff return with what happened in San Francisco this year. He was doing fine on punt returns. Yesterday, that was a bad play."
Jason Wilde wrote: