Sean Payton makes a trade for his guy at kicker position

Before the 53-man roster deadline, it was announced that the Denver Broncos traded a 2024 NFL Draft seventh-round pick for former Pro Bowl kicker Wil Lutz.

Following the 2022-2023 NFL season, the Broncos released Super Bowl Champion kicker Brandon McManus, who had his worst statistical season since his rookie year in 2014. McManus missed three field goals under 40 yards, tied for last with Cade York, who was recently released by the Cleveland Browns. Additionally, McManus missed five 50+ yard field goals in 2022. McManus was the longest-tenured player on the Broncos' roster.

Ahead of the 2023 Training Camp, the Denver Broncos signed two kickers, Elliott Fry and Brett Maher. Initially, they only signed Fry, but he lacks experience. Later on, they signed former Saints and Cowboys kicker Brett Maher, a more experienced kicker than Fry. Many thought that Maher was easily winning the battle, which he did. The battle between those two ended with neither winning.

During the Broncos' preseason opener against the Arizona Cardinals, both, combined went one for four in field goals. Fry made the only field goal, an impressive 55-yard one. Following the game, Fry was waived, then brought back and placed on the IR, and finally, got waived from the Injured Reserve. In the second and third preseason games, Maher, the only kicker on the roster, bounced back after missing two field goals in the opener (one was blocked). He went perfect in both, field goals and extra points. Against San Francisco, in the second game, Maher went two for two in field goals (48 and 34 yards respectively), and two for two in extra points. In the preseason finale against the Los Angeles Rams, Maher went two for two in field goals (46 and 33 yards respectively), and five for five in extra points.

Despite Maher bouncing back after a rough preseason start, the Denver Broncos were rumored to be in the kicker market. Either via trade or free agency, where kickers like Robbie Gould, Mason Crosby, Michael Badgley, and Matthew Wright are available.

Ahead of the 53-man roster deadline, the Broncos sent a conditional 2024 NFL Draft 7th-round pick to the New Orleans Saints in exchange for Pro Bowl kicker Wil Lutz, who reunites with Sean Payton. From Lutz's, six seasons with the Saints, five were under coach Payton. He has an 84.6 career field goal percentage and a 97.6 extra-point percentage. A very accurate kicker, with a career-long field goal of 60 yards.

Following the trade for Lutz, the Broncos released Brett Maher.

Lutz becomes the third Broncos kicker of the post-McManus era, and the season has not even started yet. He went on his social media accounts to thank the Saints and the city of New Orleans, expressing his excitement for a new chapter with the Denver Broncos.