ENGLEWOOD, Colo — There are inside linebacker reserves behind Josey Jewell, even if none of them are Outlaw-caliber.
Lloyd Cushenberry III, Adam Trautman, P.J. Locke and Mike Purcell would all be missed if the Broncos were unable to re-sign them before the market essentially opens March 11.
Wil Lutz? There are no backup kickers on the Broncos' roster. Lutz is the only one. As Broncos free agents go, Lutz would have to be a top priority.
After a shaky first game, Lutz bounced back and had a nice season in 2023, making 30 of 34 field goals for an 88.2% conversion rate that ranked 12th in the league, and 29 of 31 extra points.
He likes Denver and would like to return and kick again for his favorite head coach Sean Payton. Payton was rewarded for sticking with Lutz through his first-game jitters as the kicker came through with some big late-game kicks in wins against the Bears, Packers, Bills and Vikings.
After kicking for a $1.7 million discount last year, Lutz’ market figures to be a two- or three-year contract worth $3.5 million to $4.5 million per year through the leverage of free agency.
Thanks to Lutz and a new set of special teams coaches in Ben Kotwica, Mike Westhoff and Chris Banjo, the Broncos improved dramatically in special teams last year. Westhoff has been taking some time off this offseason, but don’t be surprised if he returns for another season at 76 years old.
There are five other special teams specialists on the Broncos’ roster: Punter Riley Dixon, long snapper Mitch Fraboni, cornerback Tremon Smith, linebacker Justin Strnad and running back Dwayne Washington.
Dixon is coming off an inconsistent season in which he was 24th in gross punting (46.3 yards per punt) and 14th in net (42.3). Aiding his job security, though, is he’s considered one of the league’s best holders – a good athlete, he always presents a threat to pass out of the punt formation – plus an affordable $1.735 million salary for 2024.
Fraboni has a team-friendlier $985,000 salary. He seemed to have a clean year, although the Broncos’ brass twice held long-snapper auditions last year, only to decide Fraboni was their guy.
Smith signed a two-year, $5 million contract as a free agent with the Broncos last year with the idea he would return kickoffs and play some backup corner. He didn’t do much of either as the Broncos later drafted Marvin Mims Jr., who had a Pro Bowl year as a returner. Smith was a fine gunner and core special teamer. Still, $2.5 million a season is on the high end for that type of role player.
Strnad is a free agent who showed promise early in his career as a coverage-type inside linebacker before he became solely a core special teamer the past two and a half seasons.
Washington is a running back by trade who had just one offensive snap and zero carries last season, although he did play regularly as a core special teamer in 13 games before he missed the final two games with a stomach illness. Washington is a free agent whose floor is a $1.21 million salary.
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