Riley Dixon remains Denver Broncos' punter regardless of whether competition was 'close' (2024)

ENGLEWOOD – On Aug. 22, special teams coordinator Ben Kotwica said the Broncos’ punting competition was “close.” Six days later, head coach Sean Payton did not have a similar opinion.

Through spring drills, training camp and the preseason, there was punting competition between incumbent Riley Dixon and Trenton Gill. The duel ended this week when Gill was waived, and Dixon became Denver’s punter.

“Riley won that position,’’ Payton said after a Wednesday practice at Broncos Park. “We’ve had a lot of (position) battles. I don’t know that that one was that close.”

In three preseason games, Dixon and Gill each had five punts, with Dixon averaging 46.6 yards gross and 41.6 net and Gill 53.6 gross and 48.6 net. But that didn’t matter to Payton.

“I don’t think (Gill) had the better numbers overall in the preseason,’’ Payton said.

Gill’s first two punts in the Aug. 18 preseason game against Green Bay were unimpressive, one going out of bounds at the 20 and the other at the 25. He did bounce back with a 62-yarder in that game and had a 73-yarder in last Sunday’s preseason finale against Arizona, but that one was a touchback.

As for Dixon, he was asked about Payton saying the punting competition wasn’t close.

“That’s really up to him,’’ he said. “I come to work every day and try to put the best version of myself on the football field and improve every chance I get. I think I’m hitting the ball well.”

Dixon didn’t want to offer a comparison between how he and Gill did in the preseason. But he liked how he did during a preseason in which he had three punts that pinned foes inside the 20.

“I thought I placed the ball well,’’ he said. “My hang time was good. “I think I took advantage of my opportunity in the preseason to improve and put my best foot forward.”

Dixon is entering his ninth NFL season and fourth overall with the Broncos. He first punted with Denver from 2016-17, then was with the New York Giants from 2018-21 and with the Los Angeles before rejoining the Broncos last season.

If Dixon, 30, is still around in 2025, he could provide stability at punter the Broncos haven’t had since Britton Colquitt manned the spot from 2010-15. After Dixon was traded to the Giants in 2018, the Broncos used Marquette King and Colby Wadman that season, Wadman in 2019, Sam Martin in 2020 and 2021 and Corliss Waitman in 2022.

Dixon last season averaged 46.3 yards gross, the second best in his career, and 41.5 net, the third best. He was asked if he is punting as well as he has in his career.

“I feel really good,’’ he said. “I feel very confident in my abilities in going into the season. I feel like I’m ready to put a good step forward and put together a good season and help our team win some football games.”

Perhaps Dixon also might use his arm in that pursuit. Dixon, a quarterback in his early years of high school at Christian Brothers Academy in Syracuse, N.Y. has completed 3 of 5 passes in his NFL career for 34 yards and three first downs. With the Rams in 2022, he was 2 of 2 for 18 yards, but he didn’t get any attempts in 2023 with Denver.

“I’ve run some fakes in my career,’’ he said. “I think they speak for themselves. But it’s always an option for us.”

In the meantime, Dixon will continue to go about his daily business. He said being the only punter now in practicedoesn’t change anything he does.

“Whether I have competition or not, my process doesn’t change, my goals don’t change, my focus doesn’t change,’’ Dixon said. “It’s the same thing for me each and every day whether there’s one or 20 (punters) here.”

Next up for Dixon is Denver’s Sept. 8 opener at Seattle, and that trip might bring back some good memories. In his last visit to Lumen Field, Dixon averaged 47.7 yards gross and had a 67-yard boot for the Rams in the 2022 season finale.