Punter Britton Colquitt of the Denver Broncos kicks the ball during the NFL game against the Arizona Cardinals at the University of Phoenix Stadium on December 12 2010. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
I remember the first time I saw Britton Colquitt. It was late July, 2009 and I was at the Denver Broncos Training Camp at the teams Training Complex in Dove Valley. It was my first Camp experience, The team had a brand new fresh faced coach and I wanted to see what my favorite team was going to look like with a new beginning. The Broncos had a veteran Punter by the name of Brett Kern, who was a holdover from the previous season and they had also brought in an Undrafted Free Agent named Britton Colquitt for competition. The Colquitt family is well represented in football circles, as his father Craig won 2 Super Bowl Rings with the Pittsburgh Steelers and his brother Dustin plays for Division rival Kansas City Chiefs. There is also his little known uncle Jimmy, who played for the Seattle Seahawks.
Britton did not make the team and was let go during the last roster cuts on September 1, 2009. I thought he had a great Camp at the time and really wondered why he was released. I felt that he out performed Kern and deserved a shot. My analysis was justified when Brett Kern ended upshankinghis way off the roster. Veteran Mitch Berger was brought in to replace Kern in Week 7 and I puzzled over that decision too. Finally, in December, the Broncos resolved the situation and poached Britton from the Miami Dolphins Practice Squad and placed him on their Active Roster on December 30, 2009. Colquitt has been steadily improving since then.
Overview:
Colquitt is a third-year punter and one of three Exclusive Rights Free Agents on the Broncos this season. That alone pretty much ensures that he will be re-signed. But let's look at what makes him a keeper.
Britton set a single-season franchise record in both gross punting average (47.4) and net punting average (40.2) for the Broncos in 2011. His 33 punts inside the 20 ranked 2nd in the league and he was 3rd in forcing Fair Catches with 27. In Week 2 vs. Cincinnati, he was named Peter King’s Special Teams Player of the Week after recording a career high 51.0-yard net punting average.
In October, Colquitt became just one of two players in NFL history to post a 50-yard gross average along with a 43-yard net average during a single month (min. 20 attempts), punting 24 times for a 50.3-yard average (43.5 net) with four punts inside the 20 and zero touchbacks. His 53.7 gross punting average against the Chargers ranked 2nd in the NFL in Week 5. At Miami (Week 7), he booted a punt 66 yards to mark a career high. In the Detroit game (Week 8), his 46.1 net punting average was the 2nd best mark in Broncos history for a single game (minimum 7 punts). Colquitt became just the 12th player in NFL history to record a 51+ gross punting average, a 48+ net average, three punts inside the 20-yard line and zero touchbacks in a single game. During Week 14's Overtime Win past the Chicago Bears, Britton placed three punts Inside the 20 for the 4th consecutive week. It marked the first time in his career that he has pinned three or more punts inside the 20 in five consecutive games. In the last regular season game against Kansas City, he put a career best five punts Inside the 20 and attempted nine punts which tied his career high.
Free Agent Options
The list of Free Agent Punters include: Mat McBriar, Donnie Jones, Steve Weatherford, Dave Zastudil, Nick Harris, Daniel Sepulveda, Brad Maynard, Ben Graham and Matt Turk. Colquitt made $405,000 in 2011 and the minimum he can make in 2012 according to the new CBA is $700,000. The Broncos won't Franchise Tag him because of his ERFA status, but the projected Franchise Tender for the position this year is: $2.665 - $2.768 Million, while the projected Transition Tender is: $2.452 - $2.546 Million. The average salary of a punter was $1.08 Million in 2011 and the average for the 20 of 32 punters currently under contract for 2012 is $1.28 Million. I think Colquitt has performed admirably and should be kept since he is near the top of the league in most Punting categories.
critical your punter/kickers are until you lose a good one! We would sorely miss him. With both he and Prater on the team we have an elite kicking game.
punter’s are the #1 reason why we have good field position usually in a game that is tight. They kick it past the 50 from the endzone and nail it in the corner. Colquitt HAS to be top 5 talent. Sign him. Tomorrow.
I was at the Bears pre-season game in Denver and Colquitt and Kern were alternating punts. Colquitt was just booming them. I remember looking at Kern and thinking to myself – there’s a guy that just knows he’s out of a job. I was absolutely shocked when Kern was kept.
Just lock him up now with the long term contract he deserves.
Oh and what about that 80 yard non-punt against Cinci??
From inside their own 5 yard line!! It got called back because Chris Harris ran out of bounds and make the effort to get back in. What a shame – that was a beauty.
we had none more dominant than the Special Teams. It was indeed Special. I’d love to see where we stacked up against the rest of the league in this regard.
Prater, Colquitt, and Bunkley… MUST… RESIGN!!! MUST… RESIGN… NOW!!!!
MVP!
MVP! MVP!
YouAreSignedIn - February 13, 2012
MUST resign
Elite P.
Fabio Broncos - February 13, 2012
He should be named the starter going into training camp.
chikndnnr - February 13, 2012
John Elway should kiss his cleats every morning at 7:30.
KoloradoKaos - February 13, 2012
Absolutely re-sign! You never know how
critical your punter/kickers are until you lose a good one! We would sorely miss him. With both he and Prater on the team we have an elite kicking game.
rubincarterrocks - February 13, 2012
Definitely re-sign. Prater and Colquitt are first priority.
BroncoMath101 - February 13, 2012
Pay the man!
CH74 - February 13, 2012
Some teams UNDER value a punter
punter’s are the #1 reason why we have good field position usually in a game that is tight. They kick it past the 50 from the endzone and nail it in the corner. Colquitt HAS to be top 5 talent. Sign him. Tomorrow.
Broncs55 - February 13, 2012
Steve Weatherford was the Giants' real Super Bowl MVP...
he gave them the 2-0 lead in essence
the new Bradfather - February 13, 2012
With the style of ball we play
the kicker and punter are more important to us than maybe anybody. We are lucky to have some young studs.
chikndnnr - February 13, 2012
if he is not here next season
EFX loses credibility in my book and everyone knows how strenuously I have hitherto advocated for them!
the new Bradfather - February 13, 2012
First time I have seen
!00% approval on any poll. someone usually mucks it up just for fun.
kimbertr - February 13, 2012
there's probably at least one pole mucker still out there, lol.
Trinidad Jack - February 13, 2012
Not yet!
MakeCents - February 13, 2012
I remember that off season too
I was at the Bears pre-season game in Denver and Colquitt and Kern were alternating punts. Colquitt was just booming them. I remember looking at Kern and thinking to myself – there’s a guy that just knows he’s out of a job. I was absolutely shocked when Kern was kept.
Just lock him up now with the long term contract he deserves.
orange&blue_aussie - February 13, 2012
Oh and what about that 80 yard non-punt against Cinci??
From inside their own 5 yard line!! It got called back because Chris Harris ran out of bounds and make the effort to get back in. What a shame – that was a beauty.
orange&blue_aussie - February 13, 2012
First time I ever noticed a punter
Was this kid.
Golly can he punt it. I’d say he’s our most valuable special teams player, over Eddie and Prater.
He’s so damned good I mean I’ve never seen punts so consistently bounce backwards from within the 10.
M1911 - February 13, 2012
i'm not sure Yes was an appropriate enough answer...
Needed to be something stronger then yes.
trumanj - February 13, 2012
yes
I agree he should be signed. I also remember his father playing. Thanks for all the articles on the FA’s everyone.
ColumbusBronco - February 13, 2012 via mobile
This guy along with the kicker are argusbly the best tandem in nfl.
chaucer - February 13, 2012 via mobile
agreed
San Diego (Kaeding ~ Scifres), San Fran (Lee ~ Akers) are good as well.
PaleHorse78 - February 14, 2012
Uh. Yes.
A.J. Haefele - February 14, 2012
ZERO no votes LOL
Broncotodd - February 14, 2012
Now two no votes
You knew there had to be a troll out there to muck it up.
OldStrike - February 14, 2012
dumb muckers.
Digger24 - February 14, 2012
As far as individual units go
we had none more dominant than the Special Teams. It was indeed Special. I’d love to see where we stacked up against the rest of the league in this regard.
Prater, Colquitt, and Bunkley… MUST… RESIGN!!! MUST… RESIGN… NOW!!!!
PaleHorse78 - February 14, 2012
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