ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Playoff teams don’t prioritize developing the young over maximizing hidden yards.
And wouldn’t you know it, the Broncos were far from a playoff team last year.
One of the more perplexing decisions made by the Broncos’ football bosses last year was picking Corliss Waitman over Sam Martin as their punter. Another was sticking with returner Montrell Washington when it was clear the talented rookie had lost confidence.
Waitman and Washington weren’t the only curious moves, but ones teams with playoff aspirations don’t usually make.
And after giving up two years of top draft picks for quarterback Russell Wilson, the youth movement on special teams was in conflict with the Broncos’ win-now mode.
It was new special teams coordinator Dwayne Stukes who figuratively pounded the table for both Waitman and Washington. If this was against the better judgment of general manager George Paton and head coach Nathaniel Hackett, they ultimately decided to support their special teams coordinator.
Martin was a top 10 punter heading into his 10th NFL season. Or the sweet spot for punters as it combines max experience without losing too much leg strength.
Martin is particularly adept on the nuances of punting. The placement – especially to the right sideline where he is one of the league’s two or three best – of punts is where Martin excels.
Waitman had a stronger leg and he’s a lefty, which is preferable because of the reverse spin that can occasionally fool a returner. And while Waitman had his moments – he was the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week in an 11-10 win against San Francisco – he had just two previous games of NFL experience.
By season’s end, Waitman was too often delivering punts low and down the middle – which for returners is akin to a fastball down the middle for sluggers.
In fairness, Waitman may have been fatigued from booting the ball an NFL-most 96 times as fourth and long came way too often for the Broncos’ No. 32-ranked scoring offense.
“If you believe in hidden yardage and you understand yards equal points—each play you're fighting for those yards,’’ new Broncos head coach Sean Payton said last month at the NFL owners meetings in Phoenix. “That's an area that we felt like we needed to improve dramatically.”
Money was no doubt a factor in keeping Waitman over Martin, but not that much as the latter was scheduled to make $2.25 million. Martin almost immediately caught on with the Buffalo Bills – who by gosh, were a playoff team with a 13-3 record – and just received a new contract extension that will pay him $2.465 million this year.
Meanwhile, one of the first roster moves made after Payton, special teams advisor Mike Westhoff and special teams coordinator Ben Kotwica were hired was to cut Waitman and sign Riley Dixon, who is entering his 8th NFL season, to a contract worth $1.765 million per year.
Dixon brings the added bonus of being a good athlete who can chuck it. Westhoff during his coordinator days was known for mixing in a fake punt once or twice a year as it causes opponents to think twice before calling on a block attempt.
The Broncos also signed proven kickoff returner Tremon Smith, who is also a quality backup cornerback. Not that the Broncos should give up on Montrell Washington. He is talented. Several other special teams coordinators coveted him in the NFL Draft last year. With a little coaching and a second year of experience, Washington should improve this season.
It’s just that rookie returners like the Broncos’ Kalif Raymond in 2016 and Isaiah McKenzie in 2017 often struggle before they get comfortable with decision-making. Raymond and McKenzie eventually emerged as quality returners with other teams. The Broncos should continue to bring along Washington, especially as a punt returner.
But Smith brings experience, stability and a 98-touchdown return to Broncos’ special teams.
Special teams, perhaps more than any one area, is where the Broncos have taken on much more of a playoff-like approach to their offseason.
“I think it's one way to improve your team pretty quickly,’’ Payton said. “I don't think we were very good last year in the kicking game, quite honestly, for a number of reasons.
"I’ve got a guy like Ben Kotwica, and a guy like Mike Westhoff -- those are considerable resources that I think can help us. It would be silly to have those two along with (assistant special teams coach) Chris Banjo and then not have a punter or not have the correct holder or even a returner that we're still working on. It has to be an important point of emphasis.”
Holder? The return of Dixon will help kicker Brandon McManus feel comfortable again after his field-goal percentage dropped below 80 percent last year.
Add free-agent fullback Michael Burton, running back Samaje Perine and the re-signing of linebacker Alex Singleton and Broncos special teams may help them win a game or two this year, instead of cost them a game or two.
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