A cool story this morning about a former fan-favorite Chicago Bear! The Jets inked a deal with running back Tarik Cohen on Wednesday. I listened to Jets head coach Robert Saleh’s from Jets OTAs, and he was excited to talk about the Cohen signing. However, it sounds like Cohen’s path to making the team out of training camp will be in the return game.
Cohen excelled as an All-Pro punt returner during his tenure with the Bears, and he maintained an average of 22.4 yards per kickoff return in his debut season. With the NFL’s new kickoff rules anticipated to bring about an increase in returns compared to wh🐈at we witnessed in 2023, Jets head coach Robert Saleh hinted at this when discussing the choice to bring Cohen on board during a press conference on Wednesday.
Robert Saleh Seems Excited to Have Tarik Cohen in the Mix
“Tarik, explosive playmaker,🌠 he’s starting to get back healthy,” Saleh said. “With the new kickoff rules and these kick returners, they’re going to touch the ball over 100 times a year, which is significant. At least, that’s what we’re anticipating. And a guy like him, he’s still young, obviously coming off his injuries, but we’re excited to have him aboard.”
The Jets had Xavier Gipson returning kicks and punts last season, but the increased workload that’s anticipated with the new kickoff rules necessitated an addition to that unit, and Cohen could be a perfect fit.
Cohen spent time on the Carolina Panthers practice squad and active roster last season after missing years due to multiple injuries. In a 2022 story at The Players Tribu💙ne, Cohen said he was finally starting to feel like himself, regaining his burst an𓂃d quick-twitch muscles after 18 months of rehabbing injuries.
Hopefully, this works out for Cohen, and he sticks with th💖eꦐ Jets as a regular in their return unit (and maybe more?)
