Where Was Kene Nwangwu on Kickoffs for Vikings?
The Minnesota Vikings kicked off their 2024 preseason slate on Saturday. They did so with their first exhibition victory since 2019. The kickoff was different, but kick returner Kene Nwangwu was nowhere to be seen during those plays.
Where Was Kene Nwangwu on Kickoffs for Vikings?
This season, the NFL has adopted new kickoff rules. They will replicate what was first done by the XFL, and the goal is multifaceted. Rather than watching a nondescript play take place, the NFL is ushering in a kickoff designed to bring back action while also upholding safety.
It is beyond fair that the aesthetics of the new format are jarring. Watching both sides stand pat as the ball flies through the air is certainly a weird occurrence. Once the action starts, though, it has produced much more excitement than the droves of touchbacks in recent seasons. Why, though, was Minnesota Kick returner Kene Nwangwu not fielding the football?
It should be assumed that Kevin O’Connell will line Nwangwu up for kickoffs once the regular season gets going. He could factor into the running back position, and he did rip off a 48-yard scamper on Saturday. He has proven to be most valuable to Minnesota on special teams, though, and getting new reps in this format would seem to make a good deal of sense.
Myles Gaskin and DeWayne McBride handled the kick return duties. Each is a running back, but only the former is projected to be a plausible 53-man roster inclusion. Nwangwu told reporters postgame that he was taking mental notes. He has had success in the old format, and this new configuration could give him more space to work with. Not being put in the situation, at least at game speed, makes it all hypothetical, though.
Maybe it was just a first game, and O’Connell wanted to ease Nwangwu into action. That said, he played multiple snaps at the running back position and fared well there. Hopefully, we will see Minnesota put their regular kick returner in action this weekend.
With the adjusted rules, the Vikings stand to benefit if he can create a new level of danger for the opposition.
Ted Schwerzler is a blogger from the Twin Cities that is focused on all things Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Vikings. He’s active on Twitter and writes weekly for Twins Daily. As a former college athlete and avid sports fan, covering our pro teams with a passion has always seemed like such a natural outlet.
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