Official - Broncos sign Mitch Berger, Waive Brett Kern

by John Bena on Oct 26, 2009 12:52 PM MDT in Roster Moves Comment 36 comments

The Denver Broncos on Monday signed punter Mitch Berger, it was announced. As per club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The club also waived second-year punter Brett Kern.

Berger (6-foot-4, 228 pounds) is a 16th-year NFL veteran and two-time Pro Bowl choice (1999, 2004). He spent last season as a member of the Super Bowl-champion Pittsburgh Steelers, where he ranked fifth in the league in opponent punt return average (6.4 yds.).

Berger also spent time with Arizona (2007), New Orleans (2003-05), St. Louis (2002), Minnesota (1996-2001), Chicago (1995) and Philadelphia (1994). He ranks 19th in NFL history with a 43.0 career punting average (min. 500 punts). Since 1999, he is fifth in the NFL in both gross (43.4) and net (36.6) average (min. 500 punts).

In 177 career regular-season games, Berger has totaled 796 punts for 34,221 yards (43.0 avg.) with 76 touchbacks and 252 placed inside the 20. His career net average is 35.8 yards.

Berger has also punted in 12 postseason contests, including Super Bowl XLIII with Pittsburgh, where he has totaled 55 punts for 2,238 yards (40.7 avg.) with five touchbacks and 12 placed inside the 20.

He earned a Pro Bowl selection in 2004 as a member of the New Orleans Saints by leading the NFL with a 39.0 net average and pinning 28 of his punts inside the 20.

His other Pro Bowl honor came during the 1999 season with Minnesota, where he led the NFC and finished second in the NFL with a 44.7-yard average on 55 punts.

Berger, who was selected by Philadelphia in the sixth round (193rd overall) of the 1994 NFL Draft, was a two-year letter winner at the University of Colorado. He earned All-America honors (UPI) during his junior season in 1992 with the Buffaloes as the lone player in the top five in the nation in gross punting average (second, 47.0) and net average (second, 42.5).

In his two seasons at Colorado, he averaged 42.7 yards per punt, made 19-of-32 field goals and forced touchbacks on 114-of-184 kickoffs. He transferred to Colorado after earning honorable mention All-America honors at Tyler (Texas) Junior College.

An all-provincial punter and kicker at North Delta (Vancouver, B.C.) High School as a senior in his first season of football, Berger was born on June 24, 1972, in Kamloops, B.C., Canada.

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Glad to see a cu buff back home in colo… little concerned about his dropoff in gross avg in the playoffs. playing in the mile-high air this postseason should help :o)

by AOB (Agent Orange & Blue) on Oct 26, 2009 1:02 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Surprised by this move.

I thought Brett Kern was ok, I still think we should’ve went with Colquitt from the begining

by CombatChuk on Oct 26, 2009 1:04 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Ya, I don't know enough about it to have an opinion,

but Berger is a surprise. Was Colquitt being considered as well?

Blues. Cardinals. Broncos. Rockies (when not playing St. Louis!).
Drinkin' the orange kool-aid since the day McDaniels was hired.
Go DU hockey! Go Mammoth!

by HockeyHippie on Oct 26, 2009 1:09 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

I liked Colquitt too

except for a slow delivery but I didn’t think Kern was okay. His long, low kicks constantly had the punt return team on the edge of disaster, and it finally caught up with them on the Sproles return. That kick must have been the final straw as far as McDaniels was concerned. Kern’s punts have been a worry. I’m surprised McDaniels fixed it, if that’s the case, so rapidly. I guess we’ll get used to his decisiveness.

"Surprised to see you, Captain, though pleased." — from Star Trek episode Space Seed.

by spock on Oct 26, 2009 4:12 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

somewhere...

It might have been the bye-week presser, McD mentioned the change in the type of coverage guys from smaller and faster to bigger and more physical means that kicks with lots of airtime to give them a chance to get down and block were essential to the success of the ST. If Kern couldn’t do that, then it’s best we make a change quickly, before it costs us a game. I hope Berger is enough of a successful patch to get us through the rest fo the season and through the post-season. At least he has experience in that regard.

"Take what you can. Give nothing back!"

by Colorado_Kitten on Oct 26, 2009 4:16 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

almost...

i think colquitt would have had the job in the preseason… but he had some off the field issues that ruined it for him.

by skippydang on Oct 28, 2009 7:01 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

kern

i don’t blame kern on sproles running back that punt for a td. there’s 11 guys playing for us on special teams. he’s got a leg for sure, don’t like messing with a winning streak.

by golfdoc on Oct 26, 2009 1:46 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

He completely out-kicked the coverage

that’s something he has had trouble with all year.

by SlowWhiteGuy on Oct 26, 2009 2:00 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah. Bad karma.

by JeffG on Oct 26, 2009 2:02 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Disagree

Hang time has everything to do with return coverage. When the ball lands in under 4 seconds the team hasn’t had enough chances to get down the field and set up properly.

"Precipitation, which side are you on?
Are you on the rise? Are you falling down?
Let me know, Come on let's go, yeah
Got some if you need it!" -EV

by sadaraine on Oct 26, 2009 4:14 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well,

canning he punter mid-season seems to be a Mike Shanahan tradition we’ll keep :).

I’m not sure I like the timing of the move, but Kern was definitely one of the less consistent players on the team. He tends to outkick his coverage as SWG said, and he tries to be too fine when he punts close to the goal line. Instead of aiming for the 10 so we can down it somewhere inside the 15, he always seemed to be trying to drop it inside the 5 and get touchbacks instead. He’s got talent but still has work to do. I won’t be surprised when he lands a job somewhere else this season and he’ll be in a camp for sure next summer.

by jaffe28 on Oct 26, 2009 2:19 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

or perhaps the only position we were unable to address from the Shanny-fail era.

Prater is pissing me off too…..we’re going to lose a game this year because of his missed kicks…

Verbose in style, dispersion of thought, procrastination in life.

The guy formerly known as ZAPPA

by Tim Lynch on Oct 26, 2009 2:30 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

as long as it's not between 40-50 yards

I have faith. That’s his death zone, though.

Because Montana has no professional sports, I gotta support the land of my birth.

by Drizzt396 on Oct 26, 2009 3:21 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Looked good in OT

against the Patriots…

-TSG

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by John Bena on Oct 26, 2009 3:28 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

+1

You guys need to drop the hate on prater until he actually loses us a game. Yeah he has missed some, but so has every friggin kicker in the NFL…and the only time the game has been on the line he made it with ice-water running through his veins.

"Precipitation, which side are you on?
Are you on the rise? Are you falling down?
Let me know, Come on let's go, yeah
Got some if you need it!" -EV

by sadaraine on Oct 26, 2009 4:16 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

I agree

Those two missed against the Browns I don’t even personally count (I was there and I doubt half the kickers in the league make those kicks with that wind). So…he missed one during the Pats game; so did they. He made the one he absolutely 100% needed to, though. I’m good with him so far. Just hope he doesn’t get fatigued like last year.

"Take what you can. Give nothing back!"

by Colorado_Kitten on Oct 26, 2009 4:19 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

hey I love Prater!

I was just making a point that he’s a world-class kicker in every regard except in that mysterious ten yard increment over his entire career, not just this season. With it taken into consideration he’s just a really good kicker :p

Because Montana has no professional sports, I gotta support the land of my birth.
Socrates was once executed for 'trolling'.

by Drizzt396 on Oct 26, 2009 4:32 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Kern was all too consistent

in outkicking his coverage, and the problem persisted despite what must have been intense coaching efforts. I can’t imagine McDaniels was happy with our punt coverage squad constantly facing returners already heading upfield only a step, or block, or missed tackle away from going the distance. It cost us a TD against San Diego and I guess McDaniels wasn’t going to wait until it cost us a game. His decisiveness in fixing this problem is reminiscent of his decisiveness in the free-agent market. When he identifies problems he wastes little time in dealing with them.

"Surprised to see you, Captain, though pleased." — from Star Trek episode Space Seed.

by spock on Oct 26, 2009 4:33 PM MDT up reply actions 1 recs

I Was Surprised

to see Kern go. I thought he had good upside, and all punters outkick their coverage from time to time or kick the touchback – it goes with the territory (pun intended). I had forgotten about Colquitt’s off the field problems, but Colinski’s post on the other thread reminded me. I had also thought Colquitt had earned the nod over Kern in the preseason, but the coaches get to see how they do every practice. I am sure there is more here than meets the eye (or the stats).

I was going to ask about why Berger was available at all if he was so good, but the post about the hammie troubles answered that question for me. I hope he stays healthy for us. I remember Elam’s struggles when he had that groin issue a couple years back and led Shanny to bring in a kickoff specialist each year after that.

Jeff Zepp, Kittredge CO USA

by Rzeppa on Oct 26, 2009 4:42 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

"all punters outkick their coverage from time to time or kick the touchback"

But Kern outkicked his coverage constantly, and also got touchbacks too often rather than pinning opponents’ inside their own 20.

"Surprised to see you, Captain, though pleased." — from Star Trek episode Space Seed.

by spock on Oct 28, 2009 8:13 AM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well said, my friend

Moreno/Buckhalter in '09

by Emmett Smith on Oct 26, 2009 4:54 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Steelers fan here

Just joined up in preparation for the week 9 game and saw this post. I hope Berger works out for you, because he was rather hard to watch the majority of last year. I still think that his horrible punting was the reason the first two contests between us and Baltimore were so close. However, he did finish out strong for us and didn’t play awful in the post season.

Anyway, see ya guys in 2 weeks (or before that for pre-game banter).

" I’m glad we play Pitt twice, and not Tenn this year." - Salty Browns Fan.

by Johnny_S on Oct 26, 2009 2:28 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

Kern has been pretty awful for us too

Even if Berger isn’t any better, I’ll be surprised if he’s worse.

"Horton is win." -Horvil Tiki 4/13/2009
Jedi McD is my hero.

by jack_ on Oct 26, 2009 2:31 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hadn't seen Kern kick

I’ll take you at your word

" I’m glad we play Pitt twice, and not Tenn this year." - Salty Browns Fan.

by Johnny_S on Oct 26, 2009 2:38 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

were injuries an issue with his poor performance last year? i mean, he has been really solid overall in his career…

by kaiserD on Oct 26, 2009 3:18 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don't think so

We signed him because we had two other punters go out with injury before going to him. I don’t recall any injury talk with him. As I said though, he was solid in the playoffs.

" I’m glad we play Pitt twice, and not Tenn this year." - Salty Browns Fan.

by Johnny_S on Oct 26, 2009 3:56 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

Didn't you have Paul Ernster?

That guy is the worst punter in the history of football.

"You were born to be a player. You were meant to be here. This moment is yours." -- Coach Herb Brooks' pregame speech prior to the Miracle on Ice

by wtnelson on Oct 26, 2009 7:52 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

I was actually very impressed with Kern's raw power

But you dont lose your job unless there is something seriously wrong. Good luck to the kid.

by _Atwater27 on Oct 26, 2009 4:04 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

I wish Kern luck but am glad to see him go.

At no point while watching him punt have a said, “Nice punt!”. I haven’t even seen flashes out of the guy. I can’t say I’m enthralled with the signing of an older player who apparently wasn’t very good for the Steelers last year, but I don’t think he can be much worse than Kern. Watching Brett boot the ball five yards into the end zone from the 40’ish yard line is very frustrating.

Here’s to hoping we pick up a superstar-to-be punter in the 6th or 7th round of next years draft.

by aLuffabo on Oct 26, 2009 4:17 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

I saw Kern and Scifres warm up at the SD game in SD last year (yes, that massacre). It was easy to see who was the better punter. If Kern has “strong” legs, then Scifres must have superhuman legs.

Before anybody gets excited about Berger though, remember he’s 37 years old. He may still be good downing the ball inside 20, but he won’t be able to punt out of a bad field position.

by BuckarooBanzai on Oct 26, 2009 4:48 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

well he might still be able to

"Really, I'm a high-motor guy. Tough, hard-nosed, a hard runner, can make you miss at times. And just competitive. I love to play the game and I bring that energy to my team. So, we'll see how that goes." - Knowshon Moreno

Knowshon Moreno=ROY

by stedtfeld on Oct 26, 2009 8:36 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

I miss

Mike Horan. What’s he up to these days? ;-)

The commenter formerly known as "Dashiell".

by underdog on Oct 26, 2009 9:39 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs

I miss Tom Rouen

"I intend to kick your ass today." - Denver Broncos legend Tom Jackson

by wtnelson on Oct 26, 2009 11:07 PM MDT up reply actions 0 recs

consistency

I always felt like out of 5 punts kern would have 1 or 2 just awful punts per game – kinda like prater.. i still have more faith in prater until he really blows it. he got a leg and can handle kick offs. i hope this move works out, i have little reason to think it won’t as every move McD has made has worked.

by bronco aj on Oct 26, 2009 9:48 PM MDT reply actions 0 recs