In addition to making more than two dozen roster cuts today, the Denver Broncos’ front office might be looking to add to the roster as well.
The Broncos are among five teams making calls looking for a potential kicker trade, according to a report from The Athletic’s Dianna Russini. The four other teams are the Los Angeles Rams, Detroit Lions, Tennessee Titans and San Francisco 49ers.
Brett Maher is the only kicker currently on Denver’s roster, but coach Sean Payton said repeatedly this offseason that Maher was competing against other kickers across the league who might become available.
Maher went 4-of-6 on field goal attempts during preseason and 8-of-8 on extra point attempts. He had a long of 48 yards and missed a 47-yard attempt. Maher also had a 52-yard attempt block and one of his kickoffs went out of bounds.
Two potential names to keep an eye on are Blake Grupe and Wil Lutz of the New Orleans Saints. Whichever kicker does not make the Saints’ 53-man roster will likely hit the trade block, and Lutz had a lot of success under Payton in New Orleans.
Yesterday, the Cleveland Browns traded a seventh-round pick to the Los Angeles Chargers in exchange for kicker Dustin Hopkins. If the Broncos make a trade for a kicker, it would presumably be with a late-round pick.