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'It's really about how quickly we can adapt': Special teams unit working cohesively to master new hybrid kickoff

AJ Cole and Daniel Carlson are the best of friends on the team, but are currently engaged in a healthy competition with the roll out of the new hybrid kickoff rule.

The kicker and punter are in the thick of adjusting to how to kick off. With the new rule change, hangtime is not much of a factor with touchbacks no longer in play.

While trying to not alter their organic muscle memory of kicking all together, each practice they're trying new ways to kick the ball down the field quickly and efficiently within the landing zone. The two are engaged in a bit of "camp battle," if you will, for who will handle onside kicks and kickoff duties.

"Me and him have the most healthy and fun of rivalries of all time, so I think just the ego in him couldn't handle it," joked Cole. "But it's all in good fun."

The rules have been an adjustment for everyone within the special teams unit – from coaches to players. Antonio Pierce has designated multiple practice periods for special teams to work out all the kinks of kicking and fielding. Special teams coordinator Tom McMahon is a firm believer it will add value to special teamers in the totality of the game.

"They have a really good understanding of what it's all about when you're not a one, when you're not 'the one' at your position, then you've got to contribute and you've got to contribute at a very, very high level," McMahon said Wednesday before practice.

"Everybody has to contribute, everyone has to tackle, everybody has to block, everybody has to run, everybody has to strain," he added. "You have to strain for eight seconds and it's stuff that these guys haven't done, so they're embracing it and trying to learn the techniques."

Carlson appreciates the attention to detail on learning the new rule modifications as a team.

"Obviously [Tom McMahon] has coached for a long time and this is something new for him as well," said Carlson. "He hit the ground running and we've gone through OTAs and now camp and we've gotten tons of reps.

"Because another part of it is the returners, it's something new to them," continued Carlson. "They're going to catch different balls instead of the hangtime. They're going to have line drives, balls that are bouncing, so it's that much more important that they catch it on the fly. It's a different game for them and it's a different game for our coverage, our blocking schemes. It's really about how quickly we can adapt."

How the new kickoff rule will affect returners is something Ameer Abdullah has been challenged with. The 10-year NFL veteran has made a career out of being an exceptional gunner and kickoff returner, averaging nearly 25 yards per kick return in his career plus 20 tackles in his two seasons with the Raiders.

At this point in his career, Abdullah believes he's seen it all, even comparing himself to "a dinosaur" with all the rule changes he's witnessed. But with all those years has come confidence.

"It's really different. It's a lot more based on timing," he said. "Timing is always the name of the game of football, but even more so with the new rules. I think Tom McMahon is doing a good job with coaching it so I would say our guys are picking it up pretty well. ... It's a good opportunity for returners to kind of step back up and have a pivotal influence in the game again."

The Raiders are not in an unique situation as the rest of the NFL is also figuring out how to best adapt. As more football is played, it will give the Silver and Black more ability to be creative within the confines of the rules.

"I'm excited to be honest with you to get through the first two preseason games and try and get to 32 games where we can watch almost hopefully 320 reps of this play," McMahon said. "Hopefully, everybody's kicking off and covering, everybody's returning, so on and so forth, just so that we can get a good look at this play and we all can learn from it."

The Silver and Black head out to the practice field for 2024 Training Camp.

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