Andre

Roberts

Roberts was apparently having issues with the knee in training camp before aggravating the injury in the opener against the Browns. Shi Smith, Chuba Hubbard, and Laviska Shenault are internal candidates to fill the veteran returner’s roles on kickoffs and punts.

Roberts, now 34, went to three straight Pro Bowls from 2018-2020 as a return man and was named a first-team All-Pro in 2018 with the Jets. The Panthers will be his fourth team since then after spending two seasons with the Bills and splitting last year between the Texans and Chargers. Roberts has six career touchdown returns, three each on kickoffs and punts.

It didn’t take long for Roberts to find a home after getting cut by Houston earlier this week. He is coming off three straight Pro Bowl nods as a returner and leads the league with 18 kick returns on the year. He won’t get many (if any) snaps at receiver for the Chargers but should take over as their primary kick returner.

33-year-old Roberts inked a two-year deal with the rebuilding Texans over the offseason. He played 26 offensive snaps for Houston, catching a 35-yard pass on two targets. As a returner, Roberts has returned a league-high 18 kickoffs with a long of 38 yards. He was a Pro Bowl selection each of the last three seasons as a return man.

Amendola has caught all six of his targets for 42 yards and a touchdown in two games with the Texans. The 36-year-old exited the teams’ Week 2 loss to Cleveland with the hamstring issue and looks unlikely to get right before Thursday. Houston will also be without Nico Collins, who hurt his shoulder last week and could miss a month. Brandin Cooks will continue operating as a target hog alongside Andre Roberts and Chris Conley. Roberts and Cooks shared slot duties in Amendola’s Week 2 absence.

Roberts has barely played on offense for the last four seasons while focusing on returning duties, and he’ll fill the same role for the Texans. Given Houston’s defense, Roberts should get plenty of action returning kicks in 2021. The 32-year-old is well off the dynasty and redraft radar, however, even in this shaky Houston receiver corps. Roberts has 18 receptions since 2017.

Roberts had been released on Saturday. He, along with S Dean Marlowe, was brought back to the team’s 53-man roster on Sunday. Roberts, an All-Pro special teams player in 2018, will serve as Buffalo’s punt and kickoff returner. The Bills cut Roberts and Marlowe to keep starting guard Jon Feliciano and rookie WR Isaiah Hodgins on the roster and to ensure they were eligible to return from IR this season.

The much-anticipated revenge game will have to wait. Roberts being ruled out opens up more snaps for Zay Jones and Robert Foster, but neither are worth starting with John Brown and Cole Beasley looking like the No. 1 and No. 2 options for Josh Allen.

Kroft practiced on a limited basis this week but still needs more time to recover from a broken foot he suffered during OTAs. Meanwhile, Andre Roberts is out with a quad injury, leaving Buffalo without its top kick returner. Without him, return duties will likely fall to Robert Foster or Isaiah McKenzie.

Roberts was an All-Pro returner for the Jets last year. He has no offensive value but will be an upgrade for Buffalo’s special teams.