Broncos position preview: Can special teams be enough of a strength to swing games for Sean Payton’s team?

Editor’s note: Final in a series previewing the Broncos’ position groups entering training camp. Today, special teams. Previous previews: quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, tight ends, offensive line, defensive line, outside linebacker, inside linebacker, cornerbacks and safeties. 

On the roster (4): Riley Dixon (P), Mitchell Fraboni (LS), Trenton Gill (P), Wil Lutz (PK)

How many on the 53? 3

Most impactful offseason move: Re-signing Lutz after he nearly went elsewhere.

Lutz nearly signed with Jacksonville back in March. At the last minute, he switched gears and got a two-year deal done with the Broncos. That’s good news for Denver, most likely. Lutz’s first year with the franchise was a solid one. He missed an extra point and a 55-yard field goal attempt in Week 1 and then made 30 of 33 field goal attempts the rest of the way. He and the Broncos got lucky against Buffalo when he missed once before burying a game-winner after a Bills penalty, but overall he was steady and consistent. Having Lutz back in the fold — and potentially having the entire operation back for a second straight year — should be a plus for Denver’s special teams.

The biggest question to answer in camp: Can the Broncos nail the new kickoff rule from the start?

The rule change is going to be seismic in its impact and coach Sean Payton has expressed confidence that Denver is well-positioned to benefit. Regardless, though, teams’ approaches could vary widely and change frequently early in the season as strategies get rolled out. And the changes will have practical implications, too. Payton suggested this summer that the new rules might mean bigger bodies used on the play. The other areas of special teams aren’t changing so radically, but the new kickoff and kick return setups could factor into who claims the final, special teams-influenced spots on the 53-man roster. Then, of course, the goal is to get off to a fast start on special teams and help an offense that will be breaking in a new (or at least mostly new) starting quarterback early in the season.

Battle to watch: Punter battle!

Dixon handled the punting for Denver in 2023 and was… fine. Too inconsistent for his overall talent level. He’s got a big leg and the ability to manipulate the ball but didn’t strike it as consistently as he or the staff would have liked. So now enter Gill, the offseason competition. He punted for Chicago the past two years, but the Bears drafted Iowa’s Tory Taylor in the fourth round in April.

Gill should provide real competition for Dixon during camp. The Broncos found out the hard way in 2022 that saving a few dollars isn’t always worth it when they kept Corliss Waitman over Sam Martin, but money could enter the equation here as Gill is almost $1 million cheaper on the salary cap than Dixon.

Under the radar player: WR Devaughn Vele

A bit of a shot in the dark here, but Vele has a chance to be an impactful returner. Marvin Mims, Jr. was a Pro Bowler and an All-Pro as a rookie return man, but there are a couple of notes worth making going into 2024. One is whether he will continue to handle both punt and kick return duties if his offensive usage increases substantially this fall. The other is that the new kickoff rules require two returners in the “landing zone.” Vele was a good punt returner at Utah and is one of several candidates to win special teams reps in the return game during camp.

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