Report: Titans Won't Bring Back Return Man

Kalif Raymond was the primary punt returner in 2020 and an occasional contributor on offense over the past two seasons.

Kalif Raymond did not play it safe.

As the Tennessee Titans’ primary punt returner in 2020, the diminutive speedster (he is 5-foot-8, 182 pounds) was one of 12 NFL players with at least 23 punt returns. Among that group, only two had fewer fair catches than Raymond’s 10.

“I think that's his natural approach to life,” coach Mike Vrabel said during the season. “I think when you've been cut as many times as Kalif has, and you played at a small school, you've got an edge to you that you want to be aggressive.”

Officially, Raymond is not getting cut again. Effectively, though, that is what is happening. The Titans do not plan to tender him in order to retain his rights, which means he will become a free agent next week, according to an NFL.com report.

Raymond is one of five Titans restricted free agents this year. The others are tight end Anthony Firkser, running back D’Onta Foreman, offensive lineman Jamil Douglas and defensive lineman Matt Dickerson.

The #Titans are not tendering WR/returner Kalif Raymond, source said. He was a top 10 punt returner last year, now a free agent.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 8, 2021

Raymond joined the Titans in 2018 as a member of their practice and has appeared in 23 games over the past two seasons. He has caught 18 passes for 357 yards (an average of 19.83 yards per reception) with one touchdown. He also has averaged 9.4 yards on 27 punt returns and 20.5 yards on 33 kickoff returns.

Before 2019, he appeared in 12 games for three different franchises (Denver, New York Jets and New York Giants) and was waived eight times, once by the Titans. Raymond entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent out of Holy Cross, where he was a football and track star.

His 23 punt returns this season were the most by a Titans player since Adoreé Jackson had 25 as a rookie in 2017. That made him one of 16 NFL players who had the minimum number of returns required to be among the league leaders. He officially was eighth with an average of 9.0 yards per return.