Niners' Ellington Could be Double Threat in 2016

New coaching staff loves his skills as a slot receiver and believes Ellington also could be a difference-maker as a punt and kick returner

The 49ers’ change in coaching staff and offensive scheme could be a huge boost for wide receiver Bruce Ellington, who appears to be the leading candidate to be the team’s slot receiver in 2016.

But Ellington appears to be the No. 1 contender for the 49ers’ job as kick and punt returner, too.

The Niners have been looking for a difference-making return specialist for a couple of years now and Ellington – a fourth-round pick out of South Carolina in 2014 – could be it.

In 2015, Ellington had an up-and-down year returning kickoffs and punts for San Francisco. He returned 26 kickoffs for a 25.6-yard average and 19 punts for a 7.2 average. But, at times he had trouble holding on to the ball.

New special teams coordinator Derius Swinton II, however, sees great potential in Ellington as a possible game-breaking returner.

“Bruce brings a weapon and a skill set that is rare in this league,” Swinton told a writer for the team’s website. “He’s a guy that we’re going to try and get the ball in his hands. He has the chance to be one of the more dynamic returners in this league if we just block him up.”

In 2015, Ellington showed what he could do, with a 40-yard kick return and a punt return of 36 yards, both career bests.

But the downside to Ellington’s speed and quickness is his ball security. In 2015, he muffed a punt against Arizona that was recovered by the Cardinals. He also lost a fumble out of bounds while returning a kickoff against Seattle. The 49ers’ special teams coach last season, Thomas McGaughey, said in early December that those type of mistakes were unacceptable.

“You’ve got to take care of the ball,” he said of Ellington’s mistakes. “Everybody’s got a job to do. Do your job.”

New head coach Chip Kelly, however, sees the potential for Ellington to be a playmaker. That stands out to him more than Ellington’s mistakes. He sees the 5-foot-10, 197-pounder as an exciting, athletic player who can make things happen as both a receiever and returner.

Said Kelly earlier this offseason: “It’s our job to figure out how we can use that (talent) to help us win games.”

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