It's an exercise in bean-counting. Statistically there's very little difference in net starting position between having kicks returned and automatically starting on the 35-yard line. Obviously most starting positions will be between the 25-yard line and the 35-yard line. However the few long returns push the average closer to the 35-yard line. It's still a small net loss. However, injuries are still more common on kickoffs and the Rams consider the injury-free upside to be worth more than the yardage loss. More to the point the difference in 'points scored from starting position X' is negligible from the 31 to the 35. This calculation might be altered as we approach the playoffs.
I don’t know if injuries are the primary consideration here. I suspect it’s more to do with your kicker not being good at that aspect of the game, while being better than Karty was in getting kicks through the uprights.
Until Mevis took over you were battling back and forth with the Panthers for the lead in opponent starting field position. Injuries didn’t stop you then.
When Karty was replaced, Rams opponent average starting position was at the 23.4 yard line. Panthers opponents were starting at the 22.6 yard line.
When you lost the “knuckle ball kick” that Karty specialized in, you started kicking it into the end zone.
Maybe the team analyzed it and realized the difference between starting on the 23.4 vs the 35 wasn’t worth the risk, but I think it’s just you now have a kicker that doesn’t excel at that part of the game.
