The Broncos need to be all over this Chiefs' free agent player

The Denver Broncos should not shy away from potentially signing rival free agent players, and this Chiefs' free agent should be a big target. Beyond the offensive line, which is probably the team's biggest need, the next biggest need might actually be the special teams unit, which has been among the league's worst for years.

I do think we see a new punter and kicker in 2023. Brandon McManus is being paid like an elite kicker and was anything but in 2022, and Corliss Waitman was simply awful for most of the season, but he had his moments.

It seems like ever since the NFL moved the extra point distance back, kicking especially has gotten worse. I'm not sure whether or not the quality of punters in the NFL has gotten better or worse, but what I do know is that Denver does not have a good punter on their roster.

To fix this, the Broncos should try their hardest to sign Chiefs' free agent punter Tommy Townsend. Townsend was awful in his first season but truly turned it around in years two and three.

In fact, Townsend was a Pro Bowler and an All-Pro in 2022. He punted 53 times in 2022. He averaged a whopping 50.4 yards per punt and 45.6 net yards per punt, which are ridiculous numbers. 42% of his punts landed inside the 20 yard line, and he ony punted four touchbacks.

The longest punt he had in 2022 is also a career-high of 76 yards. In fact, there may not be a better punter in the NFL than Tommy Townsend. Now, in all likelihood, Townsend is re-signed by the Chiefs, but if he hits the open market for even just one minute, Denver should make a strong offer.

With Sean Payton bringing in two stellar coaches to help revive the special teams, it'd be smart to also invest in this unit. Having good coaching can mask certain issues, but it's no denying the greatness of Tommy Townsend and how much of a help he'd be for the team.