**3\. Special teams showcase**
Beyond kicker Will Reichard, who has looked completely dialed in as of late, and three-time Pro Bowl long snapper Andrew DePaola, there are battles across the board on Matt Daniels' special teams units.
Which player(s) will field kickoffs and punts? Who is going to supplant Trent Sherfield, Sr., as this year's ace gunner on the punt team? What about someone taking Brian Asamoah II's many responsibilities?
And, will incumbent punter Ryan Wright _or_ Aussie Oscar Chapman emerge in a "neck-and-neck" heat?
Daniels provided insight Wednesday on numerous competitions, including factors that are narrowing efforts to find the franchise's new punt returner. Ball security is gravely important, of course. The other elements he values are a player's ability to track a punt, catch it and make smart split-second decisions.
He cited a misjudged rep last week where Bolden tried cheating a punt by lining up deep and to his left, anticipating a boot in that direction. Instead, he was sent a cross-kick and was unable to sprint to the other side of the field before the ball hit at Minnesota's 17, bounced, and was downed at the Vikings 6.
"Field position is always going to be at a premium for us," Daniels said.
Likewise, ball security is top priority on kickoff returns.
"We can't have balls on the ground. We've got to be able to protect it, especially when we're going into the cavity of the defense right there as a cover team," Daniels explained, referencing a return that spawned a fumble by Felton. "We've got to get our pads down, got to have second-hand cover going through traffic. And so, you know, luckily we're able to \[recover\], but Tai's got to do a better job of that."
Daniels mentioned running back Zavier Scott as an option in the KOR phase. Scott has been sharp out of the backfield, with 50-plus scrimmage yards in both exhibitions, and recently filed in for return reps in practice. Daniels highlighted his ability to break tackles and stick his foot in the ground and get vertical.
"We kind of see him as a guy who can possibly be a threat back there," Daniels stated.
Regarding the ancillary roles that often leave lasting impressions on games, like when a player sprints the length of the field on the punt team to deny a return or cause a timely fumble, or those tasked with protecting operations as a whole in a blocking capacity, Daniels is confident in the players at his disposal.
Specifically, he praised Jeshaun Jones' work last week on the punt-return unit, and listed linebackers Kobe King, Austin Keys, Dorian Mausi and Chaz Chambliss as candidates to assume Asamoah's workload.