NFL free agency: What punters are left for the Broncos?
NFL free agency: What punters are left for the Broncos?
New Denver Broncos special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi has his place kicker set in Wil Lutz and the team just re-signed long snapper Mitchell Fraboni, but Rizzi and Co. will have to find a new punter in 2025.
The Broncos "fell short" in their negotiations with in-house punter Riley Dixon, who has agreed to join the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on a two-year, $6 million deal.
After losing Dixon, the Broncos turned their attention to Bryan Anger, but he opted to instead return to the Dallas Cowboys on a two-year, $6.4 million contract. Denver "went hard" after Anger but wasn't able to get a deal done, according to KUSA-TV's Mike Klis.
So after missing out on Dixon and Anger, which punters are left for the Broncos?
The Tennessee Titans have opted not to tender Ryan Stonehouse after agreeing to terms on a one-year deal with Johnny Hekker. Tennessee made that move after the Carolina Panthers brought in Sam Martin and let Hekker walk in free agency.
Fans in Denver might remember Stonehouse (25) from his time at CSU. He is now the most notable free agent punter on the market. Michael Palardy (32) and Pat O'Donnell (34) are also available, but they would be short-term solutions. Alabama's James Burnip is the most notable punter in this year's NFL draft class.
Denver might also consider punters from the United Football League after the UFL season wraps up in June (the Broncos, after all, found long snapper Mitchell Fraboni in the USFL in 2022). It wouldn't be surprising to see Denver bring multiple punters to training camp for a competition this summer.
Elsewhere on the special teams front, the Broncos are adding wide receiver Trent Sherfield on a two-year deal. He figures to play a key role on special teams after the team lost cornerback Tremon Smith to the Houston Texans during NFL free agency.
We will continue to track all of Denver's free agency moves on Broncos Wire.
These 25 celebrities are Broncos fans
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
19 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Commanders impressed with rookie Jaylin Lane's work ethic
The Washington Commanders made a big move at wide receiver this offseason, trading for former Pro Bowler Deebo Samuel to start opposite Terry McLaurin. Samuel would give the Commanders the legitimate No. 2 option they've lacked for some time. Washington also brought back Noah Brown and K.J. Osborn and signed former Cowboys receiver Michael Gallup. Brown was the Commanders' No. 2 receiver last year before an injury ended his season in Week 13. Osborn signed with Washington late last season, but rarely played. Gallup, a former starter for Dallas, is attempting an NFL comeback after retiring last year. Advertisement Another newcomer for the Commanders at receiver is fourth-round pick Jaylin Lane. We've seen videos of GM Adam Peters and his staff preparing to select Lane in the 2025 NFL draft, calling him the best punt returner (in the draft) and a top slot receiver. So, we know Washington is high on Lane's potential. What does his position coach, Bobby Engram, think? "Every aspect of being a better receiver, honestly," Engram said via Zach Selby of Washington's official website. Jaylin's a super smart guy. He's a coach's son, so he gets to exercise on a different level. Love his work ethic, but my job is to help him prepare just to kind of tap into every ounce of potential that he has, and he's willing to work and do that. So, I'm excited about that." Advertisement Heading into training camp, you can count Lane among Washington's locks for the 53-man roster at receiver. That means the Commanders have plans for him in 2025 that go beyond special teams. In college, Lane played in an archaic offense and didn't always have the best quarterback play, yet he proved he could deliver in many ways. Lane can beat you deep, work for the slot, get yards after the catch, or take handoffs. Don't be surprised if Washington gets Lane involved in Week 1 as it finds creative ways to exploit his blazing speed. This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Commanders impressed with rookie Jaylin Lane's work ethic
USA Today
35 minutes ago
- USA Today
Former Bengals coach already on the hot seat elsewhere in the NFL
Former Bengals coach already on the hot seat elsewhere in the NFL Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor might be on the hot seat in 2025, sure. But what about a former understudy such as Brian Callahan? After one year with the Tennessee Titans, Callahan is already registering on the hot-seat watch from onlookers such as Bradley Locker of Pro Football Focus: 'Under Callahan's guidance, Tennessee ended a woeful 3-14 in 2024. Callahan's offensive success with the Bengals hardly translated, as the Titans ended the year 29th in EPA per play, 25th in success rate and 27th in average yards per play.' RELATED: Bengals, Shemar Stewart nuclear option includes 2026 NFL draft route Callahan was fortunate to land with a Titans team that was a little more patient than some last year, considering Jerod Mayo and Antonio Pierce were let go after one season each. But the clock is certainly ticking in Tennessee. Callahan got to play his part in drafting No. 1 pick Cam Ward. If he can work his magic like he did with Joe Burrow, he'll do just fine. If there aren't immediate results, though, it's hard to know just how patient the Titans can be during Ward's critical developmental window beyond 2025. As for Taylor and the Bengals, he could be right there on the hot seat by the end of 2025 if the season doesn't go as planned, especially now that he's re-tooled major parts of his coaching staff, implying better results. RELATED: Bengals standouts after mandatory minicamp includes surprises
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Cleveland Radio Host Slams Browns Says Shedeur Sanders is the Best QB in Camp
Cleveland Radio Host Slams Browns Says Shedeur Sanders is the Best QB in Camp originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Shedeur Sanders has been putting in work in Cleveland for the past month and a half and it appears he's winning the hearts and minds of the Browns fanbase. The fifth-rounder continues to shine in camp, leading some in the media to question why he's not working with the first team offense. Advertisement ESPN Cleveland radio host Tony Rizzo has advocated for Sanders to get more reps in practice. His frustration reached a boiling point on Wednesday morning after the former Colorado QB put together another nice day. "Shedeur is the only guy that hasn't gone against the ones," Rizzo said. "Why? Did anyone ask the coach? Of the fifty reporters out there, did anybody ask, "Coach, why haven't we seen Shedeur against the number ones?" No, of course they haven't." The logic behind keeping Sanders from running with the starters has reportedly been centered around running Dillon Gabriel and Kenny Pickett in the order they were acquired. Not very sound decision making, according to Rizzo. Advertisement Related: Deion Sanders' Son Says Fathers' Return to Boulder Uncertain in Surprise Update "I'm not going to worry about it anymore," he added. "I know my guy is the best quarterback. I think he's better than Kenny Pickett or will be. I do think he'll be better than Dillon Gabriel. Whether or not he's a Super Bowl MVP, I doubt very much. I'm going to leave Joe Flacco out of this one. But I think (Sanders) is the best in camp." Sanders ends Tuesday practice going 10-of-12 with two touchdowns, including a 70-yard bomb. He'll continue to try and forge forward in Cleveland over the next two days of minicamp. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 11, 2025, where it first appeared.
