With Dwayne Harris, Bears might finally have an answer on punt return
Dwayne Harris' presence was evident from his first punt return in a Bears uniform.
When Harris returned his first punt for 12 yards on Nov. 1 against the New Orleans Saints, it instantly became the Bears' longest punt return of the season. With only one return, Harris transformed the Bears' punt return prospects.
A week later against the Tennessee Titans on Sunday, Harris ran back a 19-yard punt return, setting another season-high. The Bears might finally have an answer at punt return. They've been searching for one ever since running back Tarik Cohen tore his ACL in Week 3.
"I'm glad he's here," Bears special teams coordinator Chris Tabor said of Harris. "He's obviously a proven veteran and I have a lot of confidence in him."
The Bears used veteran receiver Ted Ginn Jr. as their punt return man for four weeks following Cohen's injury. On five returns, Ginn averaged 4.8 yards per return, with a season-high of 10 yards. It all came to a head on Monday Night Football against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 7, when Ginn failed to catch even one of the five punts that Rams punter Johnny Hekker sent his way.
The Bears went out and signed Harris days later. Harris said it takes time to get to know the blockers ahead of him, their tendencies and preferences.
"You've got to learn how your teammates are blocking, you've got to learn how to set up your teammates, you've got to know the way they block, how they block, how fast they're getting back down field to get to their guys," Harris said. "That's the hard part about punt returning. Catching the ball is the easy part. The hard part is just running with the ball because you've got to know your teammates. This (was) my second game playing with these guys and I'm learning them as much as they're learning me."
Harris was a Pro Bowl return man in 2016 with the New York Giants. Between kick returns and punt returns, he totaled more than 1,000 return yards in 2013 and 2014 with the Dallas Cowboys. He went over 900 yards in 2015 with the Giants and 2018 with the Oakland Raiders.
The 33-year-old Georgia native has been in the NFL since the Cowboys selected him in the sixth round of the 2011 draft. He's been around the block a time or two in the NFL.
If there's one thing he's not afraid of, it's catching a punt in traffic. Harris even caught one punt Sunday that was sent well over his head, making the grab Willie Mays-style.
"I'm never nervous catching punts because I've been doing it for so long, and taking hits is just part of the game," Harris said. "For me, it's just always been a comfort level. Coach calls me a risk-taker, I wouldn't call myself a risk-taker.
"The first game [with the Bears] was more of a wind factor for me. Calling for a fair catch takes your eyes off the ball a little bit, and I never want the ball to hit the ground. The worst thing you can do is let the ball hit the ground as a punt returner."
That sentiment is a breath of fresh air for a Bears team that saw a lot of punts hit the ground prior to Harris' arrival.
Between Harris on punt return and Cordarrelle Patterson on kick return, the Bears have two valuable weapons. Patterson hasn't been afraid to field kicks from nine yards deep in the end zone. While Patterson hasn't brought one to the house yet in 2020, Tabor said the Bears like their chances with Patterson.
Tabor likes to say that bringing the kick out of the end zone gives the team a small chance of scoring, whereas kneeling on it provides no chance of scoring.
"I still want the ball in [Patterson's] hands and I still want to be aggressive," Tabor said.
With Harris, the same can finally be said on punt return too.