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The Carolina Panthers haven't returned a kickoff for a touchdown since Rod Smart did it in 2003, and since He Hate Me isn't walking through that door, John Fox is looking for answers there.

So it shouldn't have come as a shock, though it did at first, that Fox suggested to some charitable bigwigs in Charlotte that the Panthers' returner next season could be rookie running back Jonathan Stewart. Didn't Carolina draft Stewart to be a Stephen Davis clone?

Perhaps, but not every rookie running back is Purple Jesus, and it's not like Stewart has never returned kicks before. In fact, Stewart averaged 28.7 yards per return at Oregon and returned two to the house, and he did all that while also serving as the starting running back.

Of course, he still has to compete for that job in camp, too, as DeAngelo Williams -- who, by the way, reacted far more positively to Carolina selecting Stewart than at least one of his fans did -- remains the incumbent starter. However, Williams only averaged 17.8 yards per kickoff return last season, and Ryne Robinson managed 23 yards per return. So if Stewart can fill that role effectively, that wouldn't be a bad start to his NFL career.