The Denver Broncos have been among the least injured teams in the NFL in the Sean Payton era, which is surely not a coincidence. Sure, that may not always be the case, but Denver's health over the years has played a big part in this team being able to make the playoffs two years in a row and win 24 regular season games since the start of 2024.
Well, not all injuries are the same. For example, what if kicker Wil Lutz wasn't able to fulfill his duties in a given game, perhaps even during the game? It's unlikely, and Lutz has been available for the Broncos his entire tenure, but the unofficial position of 'emergency kicker' is absolutely a thing, and with Lutz having been in Canton for Drew Brees' Hall of Fame induction, safety Brandon Jones got some work on Saturday as the emergency kicker.
It is something that rarely ever happens in the NFL, but Jones could end up being the one who assumes this role if Lutz wasn't able to kick during a game at some point.
Denver Broncos safety Brandon Jones got some 'emergency kicker' reps at practice on Saturday
While Jones hasn't kicked in high school or college, he did nail 3/4 kickers during Saturday's practice, ranging from 33 to 41 yards.
Jones made 3 of 4 kicks from 33 to 41 yards. Not bad for someone who has never kicked in high school or college. https://t.co/amuPPLJzJm
— 9NEWS Denver (@9NEWS) August 8, 2026
What's also interesting is that punter Jeremy Crawshaw is likely not the emergency kicker, as, according to Darren Rizzi, the Broncos special teams coach, Crawshaw is simply the punter:
Brandon Jones is one of the Broncos options to be the emergency kicker, per Darren Rizzi.
— Zac Stevens (@ZacStevens) August 8, 2026
Jeremy Crawshaw is “not a kicker, he’s a punter”
Jones is in the final year of a three-year deal he signed with the Broncos during the 2024 offseason. He has missed time in each season, which included the end of the 2025 campaign and into the playoffs, but Jones is every bit of a complete safety in this league and is not only someone who can play close to the line of scrimmage, but he can also roam in the defensive backfield and hold up well in coverage.
And it also seems like he has some kicking skill as well, which is awesome. Ideally, Jones never, ever has to take a single kick for the Broncos, but there have been instances during games over the years where a kicker gets hurt and a position player has to step in.
And with Lutz in Canton, Saturday was the perfect time to get a position player working in this role. All 32 teams should end up with an unofficial emergency kicker during the season, but it's really something that doesn't pop up like this.
Saturday's practice was a unique one for the Broncos with Lutz and some coaches in Canton, and Jones more than holding his own could slot him into this role in 2026.
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