The New York Giants are handing the return game to Charlie Jones after Braxton Berrios landed on injured reserve (IR) with a foot injury that will require season-ending surgery.
Special teams coordinator Chris Horton did not treat that as a minor swap. Berrios had worked his way back into the role and was playing well when the injury ended his season.
"Obviously, losing Berrios, it's huge. You talk about a guy that works so hard to get himself back to a position of playing just really good football, and he was doing that, so obviously he'll be missed," Horton told reporters.
The next man up is not a rookie learning the job in Week 5. Jones, signed off the practice squad in September after three seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals, has returned
kicks and punts in the league. Horton framed the change as a veteran-to-veteran handoff.
"But with Charlie, another veteran guy, it's not like going from a vet to a rookie. This is going back to another veteran guy," Horton said. "When you've got two guys like that, you feel pretty good about what you've got going back there. We've got all the confidence in Charlie, and he'll do well."
What Horton wants from him is specific. Confidence comes first. After that, it's fielding the ball cleanly and making the right decision once the return is in his hands. Speed is the rest of it.
"Just, one, confidence. He's a confident guy. Two, his ability to just catch the ball. One of the things we talk about the most is just really just being able to field the ball and make great decisions. So, in those situations, and then speed. This guy is fast. He can run, and he'll do a good job for us," Horton said.
Jones is in line for those duties Sunday against the Washington Commanders. Horton said the staff already feels good about what it has back there.
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: Chris Horton confident Charlie Jones can handle the Giants' return job
