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JS Online: Notes: Blackmon in line to succeed Woodson on returns

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Green Bay - After his performance Saturday night against the Pittsburgh Steelers, backup cornerback Will Blackmon has put himself in prime position to be the Green Bay Packers' punt returner this season.

Charles Woodson insists he's fine with that.

Last year, Woodson, the former Heisman Trophy-winning cornerback/receiver/returner at the University of Michigan, was the Packers' primary punt returner, marking the first time in his professional career that he was allowed to do so. Running behind suspect blocking, Woodson returned 41 punts for 333 yards (8.9 average), ranking 19th in the National Football League.

His most important contribution might have been fielding all 43 chances (two fair catches) without a muff or fumble.

"I had fun with it," Woodson said. "If somebody else is capable of doing it and can get it done, who am I to disagree? I did most of it last year and it was fun. But I took a beating back there. We're going to need some guys back there that can share the load. It's good to have that."

Blackmon vaulted to the top of the depth chart with his performance, albeit unimpressive statistically. What stood out was a return at the start of the third quarter in which the Steelers could not get the 6-foot, 202-pound cornerback on the ground.

The return wound up netting minus-4 yards, but Blackmon broke so many tackles that he nearly ran it back for much more.

"He broke four tackles in one attempt," special teams coach Mike Stock said. "One of the guys on the punt return, if he hustles down the field, he makes the peel block, there's nothing down the sideline except goal line. They thought he was going to get caught. There were all those bodies, all those black shirts. He got out of it. Four guys missed him. It was a hell of an effort."

Woodson did not play in the game, so receiver Greg Jennings got first shot at punt returns, but when he let a short punt bounce past him, Stock pulled him and went with Shaun Bodiford. He was clearly not happy that Jennings didn't try to field the ball.

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