champbronc2
12-26-2007, 10:43 PM
http://www.denverbroncos.com/page.php?id=334&storyID=7675
By Andrew Mason
DenverBroncos.com
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- For one day at least, the Broncos were officially without a punter after waiving Paul Ernster.
That doesn't mean they lack for players who can punt in a pinch.
Long snapper Mike Leach led the Atlantic 10 Conference in punting while at William & Mary in 1998 and 1999 and averaged 44.8 yards a punt for the Tribe in his 1998 junior campaign. Kickoff specialist Matt Prater led the nation in punting as a sophomore at Central Florida in 2004, averaging 47.9 yards per punt before eventually focusing on placekicks.
But no one on the Denver roster should warm up their punting leg just yet. Ernster's release leaves a vacancy on the 53-man roster, and several will vie to fill it.
"We've got six, seven guys that are going to work out (Thursday)," Mike Shanahan said. "We'll get a feel for those guys, and if not, we might even go with Jason Elam."
If the Broncos ask for punting volunteers among those already on the roster, Elam would be first to raise his hand.
His NFL punting experience has been limited to a pair of pooch-style kicks -- one in 1995 and the other on Dec. 13 at Houston, when he punted out of field-goal formation, lob-wedging a 31-yard punt that was downed at the Texans 4-yard-line.
Elam, who averaged 43.5 yards per punt during a splendid college career at Hawai'i, has pined to punt throughout his Broncos career and even came to Denver in 1993 unsure whether the Broncos would ask him to punt or placekick.
"I was actually tried out more coming out of college as a punter than I was as a kicker," Elam remembered. "So I came in and I didn't really know what Denver wanted me to do. They didn't try me out; they didn't call me -- nothing. So when I was drafted, they listed me as a kicker/punter, and I thought, 'I'm not sure if they want me to compete with (David) Treadwell and (Brad) Daluiso or with (Mike) Horan."
One can't argue with the choice the Broncos and Elam made, given his massively successful career as a field-goal kicker. But befitting a curious, exploratory personality that manifests itself in his offseason scampers to remote or volatile crevices of the globe, he wants to know just how he would fare if given the opportunity to punt.
"I have lobbied for it for years," Elam said. "Who knows? I may get a shot in the last game of the season. But it is what it is right now. If I did get a shot it'd be kind of fun. I haven't done it in a long time other than the little field-goal punts here and there."
In an NFL game, Elam's punting experience is scant. Practice is another matter entirely, as no session passes without Elam punting a few footballs.
"I've always done it because it's a good way for me to warm up and it was a skill that I just didn't want to lose because of situations like this," Elam said.
"You never know when you might be needed."
That might be Sunday.
"If one of those six guys is not the answer and we don't feel good about it, we might go in (Elam's) direction as well," said Shanahan.
CUTLER LIMITED: Quarterback Jay Cutler doesn't anticipate that his sore left knee will sideline him Sunday, but it was enough to limit his work Wednesday at practice.
"It's a little banged up," he said. "I'll be ready to roll (Thursday)."
Cutler incurred the injury in Monday night's 23-3 loss to the San Diego Chargers, during which he was sacked four times but also eluded San Diego pass rushers for a team-leading 42 yards on three carries.
"I'll be ready by Sundy, nao problem," he said.
OTHER INJURY NOTES: Javon Walker was the only Bronco besides Cutler who saw limited work Wednesday ... Daniel Graham, Ian Gold and Brandon Stokley all missed practice; Graham was out with the high ankle sprain through which he tried to play Monday, while Gold and Stokley were sidelined due to knee injuries.
Defensive end John Engelberger, defensive tackle Steven Harris, safety John Lynch and center Chris Myers all practiced fully; they were listed on the injury report with shoulder, knee, back and ankle injuries, respectively.
HOLDUP: The decision to waive Ernster not only means the Broncos are looking for a punter, but a holder on Elam's field-goal and extra-point attempts. Todd Sauerbrun handled that duty prior to his release last week, and Ernster replaced him there for Elam's solitary field-goal attempt Monday night.
"It's just not ideal to go three straight weeks with three different holders, but you make the best of it," Elam said. "You just try to get as many reps as you can with whoever's going to be the guy."
Elam wasn't certain who would ultimately hold for his placekicks Sunday, but thought that Cutler was "the most logical" option, "just because he has done it before in college and he's on the field," he said.
"He's into the game, so it's not that big a deal for him just to stay around and hold the ball one more play before he goes to the sideline," Elam said. "But we got some reps today. He's obviously a great athlete, so hopefully there's no issue."
Leach for punter! :lol:
By Andrew Mason
DenverBroncos.com
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- For one day at least, the Broncos were officially without a punter after waiving Paul Ernster.
That doesn't mean they lack for players who can punt in a pinch.
Long snapper Mike Leach led the Atlantic 10 Conference in punting while at William & Mary in 1998 and 1999 and averaged 44.8 yards a punt for the Tribe in his 1998 junior campaign. Kickoff specialist Matt Prater led the nation in punting as a sophomore at Central Florida in 2004, averaging 47.9 yards per punt before eventually focusing on placekicks.
But no one on the Denver roster should warm up their punting leg just yet. Ernster's release leaves a vacancy on the 53-man roster, and several will vie to fill it.
"We've got six, seven guys that are going to work out (Thursday)," Mike Shanahan said. "We'll get a feel for those guys, and if not, we might even go with Jason Elam."
If the Broncos ask for punting volunteers among those already on the roster, Elam would be first to raise his hand.
His NFL punting experience has been limited to a pair of pooch-style kicks -- one in 1995 and the other on Dec. 13 at Houston, when he punted out of field-goal formation, lob-wedging a 31-yard punt that was downed at the Texans 4-yard-line.
Elam, who averaged 43.5 yards per punt during a splendid college career at Hawai'i, has pined to punt throughout his Broncos career and even came to Denver in 1993 unsure whether the Broncos would ask him to punt or placekick.
"I was actually tried out more coming out of college as a punter than I was as a kicker," Elam remembered. "So I came in and I didn't really know what Denver wanted me to do. They didn't try me out; they didn't call me -- nothing. So when I was drafted, they listed me as a kicker/punter, and I thought, 'I'm not sure if they want me to compete with (David) Treadwell and (Brad) Daluiso or with (Mike) Horan."
One can't argue with the choice the Broncos and Elam made, given his massively successful career as a field-goal kicker. But befitting a curious, exploratory personality that manifests itself in his offseason scampers to remote or volatile crevices of the globe, he wants to know just how he would fare if given the opportunity to punt.
"I have lobbied for it for years," Elam said. "Who knows? I may get a shot in the last game of the season. But it is what it is right now. If I did get a shot it'd be kind of fun. I haven't done it in a long time other than the little field-goal punts here and there."
In an NFL game, Elam's punting experience is scant. Practice is another matter entirely, as no session passes without Elam punting a few footballs.
"I've always done it because it's a good way for me to warm up and it was a skill that I just didn't want to lose because of situations like this," Elam said.
"You never know when you might be needed."
That might be Sunday.
"If one of those six guys is not the answer and we don't feel good about it, we might go in (Elam's) direction as well," said Shanahan.
CUTLER LIMITED: Quarterback Jay Cutler doesn't anticipate that his sore left knee will sideline him Sunday, but it was enough to limit his work Wednesday at practice.
"It's a little banged up," he said. "I'll be ready to roll (Thursday)."
Cutler incurred the injury in Monday night's 23-3 loss to the San Diego Chargers, during which he was sacked four times but also eluded San Diego pass rushers for a team-leading 42 yards on three carries.
"I'll be ready by Sundy, nao problem," he said.
OTHER INJURY NOTES: Javon Walker was the only Bronco besides Cutler who saw limited work Wednesday ... Daniel Graham, Ian Gold and Brandon Stokley all missed practice; Graham was out with the high ankle sprain through which he tried to play Monday, while Gold and Stokley were sidelined due to knee injuries.
Defensive end John Engelberger, defensive tackle Steven Harris, safety John Lynch and center Chris Myers all practiced fully; they were listed on the injury report with shoulder, knee, back and ankle injuries, respectively.
HOLDUP: The decision to waive Ernster not only means the Broncos are looking for a punter, but a holder on Elam's field-goal and extra-point attempts. Todd Sauerbrun handled that duty prior to his release last week, and Ernster replaced him there for Elam's solitary field-goal attempt Monday night.
"It's just not ideal to go three straight weeks with three different holders, but you make the best of it," Elam said. "You just try to get as many reps as you can with whoever's going to be the guy."
Elam wasn't certain who would ultimately hold for his placekicks Sunday, but thought that Cutler was "the most logical" option, "just because he has done it before in college and he's on the field," he said.
"He's into the game, so it's not that big a deal for him just to stay around and hold the ball one more play before he goes to the sideline," Elam said. "But we got some reps today. He's obviously a great athlete, so hopefully there's no issue."
Leach for punter! :lol: