Special Teams Depth Chart

by styg50 on Aug 30, 2008 8:51 PM MDT

I've compiled the following depth chart from watching the STs during the preseason, and factoring in the recent wave of cuts. I took some notes while watching the film, and I'll include those after.

Kick Returns

Returners: Royal, Hall

Wedge: Engleberger, Harris,?(Pears)?

Blockers: Webster, Woodyard, Hillis, Niko, Scheffler, Winborn

Punt Returns

Returner: Royal

Blockers: Paymah, woodyard, Foxworth, Manuel, Webster, Abdullah, Scheffler, DJ, Niko, Winborn

Punts

Punter: Kern

Gunners: Manuel, Woodyard, (paymah)

Longsnapper: The Immortal Leach

Rest: McCree, DJ, Niko, Webster, Winborn, Woodyard, Hillis

Kick Offs

Kicker: Prater

Rest: Colbert, Woodyard, Pittman, Manuel, Foxworth, Abdullah, Winborn, Niko, Webster, Hillis

Notes:

--Our wedge is a question mark, and may have someone starting on the right side (facing forward) who didn't get a single preseason rep at the position, though I can't speak for who has gotten reps in practice. Clemons will man the spot if he is activated, and he has experience there, but looking at possible gameday 45s I don't think he will be activated that often. If he can't go, my best guess is Pears, and it is possible we may see a Pears/Clemons activation-deactivation cycle over the course of the season.

--Ryan Harris at the center-wedge position may seem odd or risky, but I don't think it is either one. He got a lot of reps there, and was one of the better ones we tried. If Klick were a likely activation, I would expect him to start, but I seriously doubt he will ever be activated unless because of injuries.

--Engelberger is sort of odd as well, but he too was very good, though he had very few reps. Everyone else who got reps has been cut. Other likely possibilities are Moss and Crowder. In fact, a Moss, Pears, Crowder wedge is definitely a possibility.

--Our punting units feature a lot of our most explosive and quick defensive players, with the surprise addition of Scheffler. I don't know if he is a for sure on STs, but I am 90% certain after watching all the tape. I would expect that if he were to overcome Jackson for offensive playing time that they would switch roles in STs as well.

--Woodyard, Niko and Winborn figure to be in on all STs plays.

--The backup punt returner will probably be one of the starting CBs, or possibly Colbert.

--It doesn't matter who covers kickoffs. Touchbacks, baby!!

--Any questions, please ask!

This is a Fan-Created Comment on MileHighReport.com. The opinion here is not necessarily shared by the editorial staff of MHR

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Comments

I am not savy enough to figure out special teams...

My one thought is that Woodyard will be very good at it until he becomes the first replica of Tom Jackson for this team.

Broncos broncos everywhere and all the league did blink,
Broncos broncos everywhere think moldy faiders stink!

by Mike Clark on Aug 30, 2008 9:29 PM MDT 0 recs

I'm not savy at all...

…but I agree Woodyard reminds me a little of TJ. Too bad he won’t have the fat man to call out. (But who am I to talk. LOL)

If this be Hell, let us make the most of it!

by Trinidad Jack on Aug 30, 2008 9:32 PM MDT up 0 recs

LOL--its all over fat man

Jackson was so undersized and yet so ready to play—for some reason I see this in Woodyard.

Broncos broncos everywhere and all the league did blink,
Broncos broncos everywhere think moldy faiders stink!

by Mike Clark on Aug 30, 2008 9:40 PM MDT up 0 recs

He could call out Mark Mangino.

He certainly is fat, but he’d have to get a coaching job with the raiders first. They’re stupid enough to hire him too, so that may very well be a possibility. Or maybe I’m just hopeful?

Wade Phillips is awful two prong evil toad spirit

by papigrande on Aug 30, 2008 9:54 PM MDT up 0 recs

lol

Broncos broncos everywhere and all the league did blink,
Broncos broncos everywhere think moldy faiders stink!

by Mike Clark on Aug 30, 2008 9:56 PM MDT up 0 recs

There's always Wade Phillips

"How do the berries taste Ralph?" Bart Simpson
"They taste like burning." Ralph Wigam
Broncoman

by Broncoman on Sep 2, 2008 2:31 PM MDT up 0 recs

Great stuff styg

Did you miss Louis Green or has he not been playing ST in the preseason?

by MattR on Aug 30, 2008 10:05 PM MDT 0 recs

hasn't been on ST yet

but he was recovering from an injury. I’m thinking he won’t get activated unless Boss is out, and then I think that Green could possibly replace DJ in a few formations.

Mountains, forest, sea: these render man fierce, but yet do not destroy the man.

by styg50 on Aug 31, 2008 2:39 AM MDT up 0 recs

makes perfect sense. thx.

by MattR on Sep 1, 2008 11:08 AM MDT up 0 recs

Ahem

Could he call out Bill Wiliamson?

Atwater for the Hall!

by broncobear on Aug 30, 2008 10:06 PM MDT 0 recs

Bingo!

If this be Hell, let us make the most of it!

by Trinidad Jack on Aug 30, 2008 10:30 PM MDT up 0 recs

are we overusing royal, maybe

at the 2 returner positions and starting wideout? is there a chance d-jax becomes #2 when marshall returns, or we keep royal off at least 1 return position. that is quite the workload for a rookie. will he have any legs left weeks 13-16? he will be taking some nfl hits as well, but he is built pretty solid. just a thought to consider for down the road

by davecheffy on Aug 30, 2008 10:51 PM MDT 0 recs

Splitting with Hall should make it about 50-50 on Kick returns

but I don’t think it would do him any harm to see if he can do all three. Lots of rookies have that problem where they start to lag, regardles of how you use them, once the college season timeframe is up. i will go out on a limb and sy that Royal will NOT have a problem with that.

But I agree that multiple duties could wear him, or anyone, down. Lets hope we force so many punts that Shanny feels the need to address this, and lets hope that Royal communicates to the team how he is feeling if he starts to burn out. We have the WR depth to absorb any rest he needs, but I think all parties involved would love to see him on the field making plays in every way possible…

Mountains, forest, sea: these render man fierce, but yet do not destroy the man.

by styg50 on Aug 31, 2008 2:45 AM MDT up 0 recs

I dont want to see him on KO

I would rather he just return punts. KO’s are where he would be most likely ot get hurt. I was hoping it would have been Alridge, but thats out the window.

by broncfanstuckinsd on Aug 31, 2008 3:01 PM MDT up 0 recs

We still have

Jack Williams who was a returner in college.

"I could never quite get the hang of Thursdays..."

by FlaBroncoFan on Aug 31, 2008 3:28 PM MDT up 0 recs

a likely game day inactive

with 4 very experienced CBs ahead of him.

Mountains, forest, sea: these render man fierce, but yet do not destroy the man.

by styg50 on Aug 31, 2008 7:44 PM MDT up 0 recs

oh, right

didn’t even cross my mind… I’m used to Madden lol. Sorry.

"I could never quite get the hang of Thursdays..."

by FlaBroncoFan on Aug 31, 2008 9:37 PM MDT up 0 recs

good reminder though

if Williams is sctive in the place ofr an injured CB at any point, to look for him on returns.

His interception return the other night was downright nifty, I’d love to see what he can do with some punts and kickoffs.

Doesn’t look like he got any reps there in the preseason. Anyone know if he practices with the returners in camp?

by jonahsilas on Sep 1, 2008 12:51 PM MDT up 0 recs

Now that we're trading Foxworth, Williams should see some games.

There has even been talk of him starting at nickelback ahead of Paymah. Like you said, that INT return was sweet; he could be a playmaker at returner.

I could be wrong, but I believe a Raider is an old, old wooden ship that was used during the Civil War era.

by papigrande on Sep 1, 2008 3:56 PM MDT up 0 recs

true that!

I’m excited to see this kid.

"I could never quite get the hang of Thursdays..."

by FlaBroncoFan on Sep 1, 2008 3:59 PM MDT up 0 recs

Yep!

Can’t wait to watch him!

Mountains, forest, sea: these render man fierce, but yet do not destroy the man.

by styg50 on Sep 1, 2008 6:51 PM MDT up 0 recs

JMFW's INT did not make the NFL Network Top 10 Preseason Plays (:

What a ripoff! That INT was just like the ones we used to have when we played football for hours in the streets when I was a kid. Oh well, JMFW will just have to get another pick for 6.

by Arctic Bronco on Sep 1, 2008 10:19 PM MDT up 0 recs

Yes, but not all the time

Atwater for the Hall!

by broncobear on Sep 1, 2008 9:27 PM MDT up 0 recs

isn't Leach

on the punt team as the LS? Or does he only LS for FG?

by BornOrange on Aug 30, 2008 11:37 PM MDT 0 recs

Fixed.

Yep, you got it. It wouldn’t be a depth chart if I didn’t forget to include Leach at least once. I knew something was up too, since I was short a guy. I took Abdullah off. Easy come, easy go…

Mountains, forest, sea: these render man fierce, but yet do not destroy the man.

by styg50 on Aug 31, 2008 2:56 AM MDT up 0 recs

Leach minutia

I thought I saw something about Leach being 3rd on the team last year in special teams points (whatever they are). He’s actually pretty good at coverage. He’s also the likely reserve punter, if that rare situation should arise.

by Colinski on Aug 31, 2008 5:39 PM MDT up 0 recs

Leach as backup punter

I love the Bugs Bunny potential of watching him long snap the ball to himself :)

by MattR on Sep 1, 2008 11:08 AM MDT up 0 recs

Mike Leach is an incredible LS – not only does he have a lightning snap but his coverage is top notch too. I bet he could do the whole snapping-ball-to-himself thing with his eyes closed too. And then boom it 70 yards to the opponent’s 1-yd line.

I also believe that should Cutler and Ramsey ever both go down in a game, Leach (as emergency QB) would show that he’s got the potential to be the next Peyton Manning. There’s absolutely nothing the guy can’t do.

by Muse_Cubed on Sep 1, 2008 5:26 PM MDT up 0 recs

He even makes

julienne fries! If Bowlen gets taken out with injury, Leach is 2nd in line. Guy can diffuse a bomb while blindfolded and in quicksand with his teeth! The only thing he CAN’T do is secure a spot as TE.

"I could never quite get the hang of Thursdays..."

by FlaBroncoFan on Sep 1, 2008 5:34 PM MDT up 0 recs

Wait a minute!

He was doing really well blocking and recieving as a TE during camp. He made a couple of Marshallesque catches right in front of me. since he is the triple emergency quarterback, he could also throw the pass and catch it too!! I think we are on to something!

What lies behind us and what lies before us are small matters compared to what lies within us. - Emerson

by firstfan on Sep 1, 2008 6:10 PM MDT up 1 recs

Then we wouldn't even need to punt!

To have striven, to have made the effort, to have been true to certain ideals - this alone is worth the struggle. - William Penn

Tom Arnold, of Fox Sports Net's Best Damn Sports Show Period, said this about Warren Sapp: "Hey, Warren, the Raiders signed you to a seven-year deal. I guess Bill Callahan was right --- they are the dumbest team in America."

by Philistine21 on Sep 1, 2008 6:15 PM MDT up 0 recs

any chance

he has the kind of stamina to play the three positions of offense, defense and special teams? We could save tons of money by cutting everyone else… wow. I’d buy his jersey in a heartbeat.

"I could never quite get the hang of Thursdays..."

by FlaBroncoFan on Sep 1, 2008 6:19 PM MDT up 0 recs

This breakthrough may lead to a total redefinition of the game of football.

To have striven, to have made the effort, to have been true to certain ideals - this alone is worth the struggle. - William Penn

by Philistine21 on Sep 1, 2008 6:41 PM MDT up 0 recs

HT...

Are one-man teams the next step in the evolution of football after the three-TE sets?

"I could never quite get the hang of Thursdays..."

by FlaBroncoFan on Sep 1, 2008 6:49 PM MDT up 0 recs

I am so sorry I brought it up

by MattR on Sep 2, 2008 12:52 AM MDT up 0 recs

Well actually...

…there are some far fetched (Star Trek, if you ask me) theories out there regarding the evolution of mankind into super beings. This would allow for 1 man teams.

Of course, I don’t buy it. In a perfect world, football is played with 11 guys (even if some of them are worth two or three).

: )

"Greater is an army of sheep led by a lion, than an army of lions led by a sheep" Defoe

by hoosierteacher on Sep 2, 2008 2:49 PM MDT up 0 recs

Heh, Mike Leach is truly one of my favourite players. Just love to talk him up a bit :)

by Muse_Cubed on Sep 2, 2008 3:32 PM MDT up 0 recs

reserve QB?!!!

Who knew? —(oh, you did). Well, that answers a question I had.

by Colinski on Sep 2, 2008 7:31 PM MDT up 0 recs

late response -- alternative snappers

Yes, that was my first thought, too. I assume Scheffler would be the first backup SN and then we go through the Centers/OLs — Nalen, Hamilton, Wiegmann, Lichtensteiger, Kuper*. (Kuper is listed as the KC after Leach, someone will have to explain to me what that is. I guess it’s a short snapper, maybe?).

I’m actually a little disappointed that they cut Mallard since he’s a SN and certainly would work on punt coverage. Also, I haven’t heard yet whether Prater can punt, but kickers often do both. I feel a little more comfortable with short snapper attempting a long snap than with player with no experience punting attempting a punt. Leach was a very good punter, I was surprised to learn.

by Colinski on Sep 3, 2008 9:59 PM MDT up 0 recs

Elway used to do quick-kicks

from the shotgun formation if we were really in a bad situation (i.e., too close to punt and too far to try the field goal).

"It's all over Fat Man" - Tom Jackson to John Madden 1977 AFC Championship Game

"I love your analysis of our team. Its kinda like watching a spider monkey trying to figure out a jar of peanuts.. you know whats going on.. you know whats in there, but to actually figure it out, is just a bit beyond your mental skills..."
- Bronco Dano from DP Comments

by DesertBroncoFan on Sep 4, 2008 10:29 AM MDT up 0 recs

Yeah…I hear Jay knocked over an FG from 40 yards in practice the other day. Maybe we should send him out to attempt a drop goal at some point :D

by Muse_Cubed on Sep 4, 2008 2:49 PM MDT up 0 recs

Talking of FGs, Mike Leach could easily knock through a 70 yarder ;)

by Muse_Cubed on Sep 4, 2008 2:49 PM MDT up 0 recs

after snapping and holding the ball :)

by MattR on Sep 4, 2008 5:45 PM MDT up 0 recs

I believe that KC = "kick center" (as in FG/XP)

as opposed to PC being punt center.

by MattR on Sep 4, 2008 12:38 PM MDT up 0 recs

that's what I thought, but it didn't make sense to me

I guess that’s a way of saying long (?) snapper, and PC = punt center, wouldn’t that also be a long snapper, too?. I figured out the terminology but I was thinking of kickoffs, as in who needs a snapper for a kickoff? A field goal never occurred to me. The other terminological barrier is for PN = pinner, or holder. I wonder what the Broncos designate their holder as? Don’t see it anywhere, anyone know?

by Colinski on Sep 4, 2008 5:54 PM MDT up 0 recs

further comment

I guess the designations are based on membership on a particular special team squad. They, the players, only need to know the situation, as in it’s field goal and the FG unit needs to get out there. Whether the snapper is a good LS is a decision that’s made when composing the squad.

BTW — I forgot, the H = holder is Kern, and Cutler has been practicing there lately, for the first time as a Bronco.

by Colinski on Sep 4, 2008 6:03 PM MDT up 0 recs

Larsen's ST potential

I see Larsen as having a good ST “team first” mentality, plus he needs seasoning to develop as a LB. I expect to see him making a strong impact on ST.

I hope we can get a draft pick for Webster at some point, he has energy and he’s a hitter but I can’t get over last years MMTs (multiple missed tackles). Moving Webster or Winborn would free up playing time for the development of Woodyard and Larsen, they need to start peaking in a couple of years when we are capable of making deep playoff runs.

by Arctic Bronco on Aug 31, 2008 2:44 AM MDT 0 recs

This could be tricky

looking over the 53, you’ll need to deactivate 8 guys every week. I had Larsen as one of my weekly inactives, with 2 FBs ahead of him (Hillis and Pittman), and 2 MLBs ahead of him (Niko,Webster), but I agree that he could be a great STer.

Figure in that it would be nice to have some flexibility for activating Nic Clemons, and it might be tough to consistently have Larsen on the gameday 45.

I’m still a little baffled by the Webster move, but I’ve got Nate’s back. He has a tremendous enthusiasm and a great grasp of his responsibilities. I am willing to wait and see what switching to MLB will do for him, especially considering he is the best shape of his career. I can’t advocate moving him yet, but I love that we have Larsen now. A bird in hand, and all that…

Mountains, forest, sea: these render man fierce, but yet do not destroy the man.

by styg50 on Aug 31, 2008 3:07 AM MDT up 1 recs

Field goal unit?

"In the empty spaces - lacunae, vacuums, pauses, voids, black holes - new things begin. We are born anew from the unexplored space, the badlands, the outlaw territory." - Sam Keen

by spock on Aug 31, 2008 11:25 AM MDT 0 recs

Do you think it should be covered?

It is most likely scrubs who need a few reps in the game, but I can keep my eye on it once the regular season approaches.

Mountains, forest, sea: these render man fierce, but yet do not destroy the man.

by styg50 on Aug 31, 2008 7:46 PM MDT up 0 recs

Awesome job Styg.

Even this MHR-U prof gets shakey in the knees messing with STs rosters. You are bold indeed!

"Greater is an army of sheep led by a lion, than an army of lions led by a sheep" Defoe

by hoosierteacher on Aug 31, 2008 6:21 PM MDT 0 recs

...and recommeneded!

"Greater is an army of sheep led by a lion, than an army of lions led by a sheep" Defoe

by hoosierteacher on Aug 31, 2008 6:21 PM MDT up 0 recs

Very nice

I dont know much about the special teams aspect of football other than to say “wow that was great or sucked”.

Go Broncos!

by dbroncos78087 on Sep 3, 2008 7:23 PM MDT 0 recs

Just read

That the Broncos are going to set up Larsen as well as Woodyard on ST work. The article discussed Woodyard pulling O’Brien over and O’Brien diagraming a play on the wall for him. Perfect!

Those young guys are going to make a huge difference in an area that we have needed to upgrade for a long time. I like our kickers and our return guys, but I’ve been waiting a long time to see a bunch of mad lunatics hammering down on coverage. It’s worth 5 to 10 yards per possession IMHO

Atwater for the Hall!

by broncobear on Sep 4, 2008 1:35 AM MDT 0 recs