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Broncos head coach Sean Payton said “significant” is a modest word when describing the league’s new kickoff rule.
“It’s bigger than that,” he added.
This season, Denver and the rest of the NFL will enter uncharted waters due to the league’s new kickoff rules. As the Broncos wrapped up the second day of rookie minicamp on Saturday afternoon, they simulated the changes that feature two returners, 10 kick coverage players lining up at the opposing 40-yard line and no one outside of the kicker and returner can move until the ball hits the ground or is touched by the returner inside the 20.
Payton said the team is in the stage of figuring out the what-ifs of the new rule and the different landing zones. One of his biggest takeaways from practicing it is that the returners need strong ball skills.
“We are not going to get these easy-to-catch high kicks anymore,” Payton said. “…So I think it creates a unique skill set for the returners.”
Payton added that coverage and blocking units will have a bigger impact because of the reduced space for returners to run.
Even though the kickoff rule is far from the norm, Payton is excited because it opens up the door for big plays and scoring opportunities.
“In a couple of years, you are going to get double-digit touchdown returns,” Payton said. “You’re gonna see a lot more plays, and I think that was the intention of the rule.”
Vele making strong impression
It’s early, but former Utah wide receiver Devaughn Vele has already made a good impression.
During the 11-on-11 part of rookie minicamp, the seventh-round pick was a reliable target for Bo Nix whenever the rookie quarterback threw the ball underneath. Later in practice, Vaughn leaped to make an impressive catch near the sideline.
When Payton watches Vaughn, he says he sees Tim Patrick. And that’s not because both players went to the same college. Both players are 6-foot-4 and line up at different areas on the field.
Payton said Vele has good ball skills and moved better than he initially thought. Denver views Vele as a player who can play on the outside and occasionally move into the slot. However, a specific vision for his role won’t be crystal clear until the team puts on the pads during training camp.
“When you look at (contested) catches and yards after the catch, there are certain players that are going to play (that) game,” Payton said. “He’s that player.”
Veteran tryout players
Inside linebacker Ty Summers and fullback Matthew Jester were the only veteran tryout players at Denver’s rookie minicamp. Summers, a seventh-round pick in 2019, has played for three teams, most recently the Saints, whom he played 15 games for in 2023. Jester, a former linebacker at Princeton, signed with the Rams following the 2023 NFL draft but was waived weeks later. Eventually, he was selected by the St. Louis Battlehawks in the 2023 XFL Draft.
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