ENGLEWOOD, Colo — Drew Lock has quarterback competition. Tim Patrick has serious competition for No. 2 receiver. Melvin Gordon III has new rookie running back Javonte Williams to contend with.
Why shouldn’t punters and long snappers face off against others?
The Broncos worked out two punters, Max Duffy and Drew Galitz, and two long snappers, Matt Tunnacliffe and Seth Cottengim this week, a league source told 9NEWS.
The Broncos already have a fine punter in Sam Martin, a veteran who is scheduled to draw a $2.3 million salary this year, although that money is not guaranteed. The Broncos broke in a first-year long snapper last year in Jacob Bobenmoyer, who hails from Cheyenne, Wyo., and Northern Colorado.
Duffy is the most intriguing from the special teams tryout in that he is a 28-year-old rookie from Kentucky, who won the Ray Guy Award in 2019 as the nation’s top punter and is a former Australian rules football player. Duffy was born and raised in Perth, Australia, and while he averaged a robust 48.1 yards a boot for Kentucky in 2019, his primary strength is directional punting – which is where the NFL has been going with its punters in recent years if not the past 20.
Galitz has a booming leg who suffered torn ACL injuries as a junior and senior at Baylor. He rebounded with a fine showing in the short-lived XFL in the spring of 2020 and later had a tryout for the Minnesota Vikings and assistant general manager George Paton.
Tunnacliffe was a 2019 rookie from Dayton. Cottengim is a rookie from Arkansas State.
None of the four specialists were signed after their workout with their Broncos, although one or two can always be called back at a later date.
>>Video above: More than 70 Broncos players show up Monday for start of Phase II offseason program
Bronco Bits
Backup running back/special teams standout Mike Boone showed up for the Broncos’ Phase II workout Wednesday, the team announced on Twitter. He joined at least 71 other players who had been working out at team headquarters earlier this week. The Broncos begin OTA practices on Monday. …
The Broncos hired Sae Woon Jo as their new Western scout. He scouted the previous nine years for the Atlanta Falcons.
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