Never mind the virtues of sacrificing heart, soul and body parts for the sake of the team.
Special teams always have been about the legs.
The punt team depends on the punter. The kickoff team begins with the kicker. The return teams are dependent on the speedy legs of the returner.
When the Broncos addressed their needs during the offseason, priority No. 1 was to get better legs.
Return specialist Darrent Williams, who doubles as a cornerback from Oklahoma State, was their first draft pick. Only 5-feet-8, 188 pounds, but with the kind of speed that warrants double takes to stopwatches, Williams will be counted on to improve a kick return team that ranked 19th in the NFL last year and a punt return team that ranked 12th.
“When you need some momentum, there’s nothing like a big return,” Williams said.
Even the special-teams blockers know their jobs are largely dependent on the guy they’re blocking for.
“I’ve talked to Darrent from time to time, and the thing a good returner does is make all blocks good,” said Keith Burns, the Broncos’ special-teams captain. “The better he sees the field, the better we can position our blocks.”
Denver will be looking for better field position on kickoffs. The Broncos’ average starting field position of the 29-yard line last season ranked 27th.
The other new big leg the Broncos added this year is Todd Sauerbrun, who figures to be a major upgrade from the woefully inconsistent Micah Knorr. The Broncos were just 26th in net punt average last season.
“When you had an offense and a defense in the top five, you’ve got to perform from a special-teams standpoint,” special-teams coach Ronnie Bradford said. “We struggled a little bit in coverage, and that’s what our focus has been in camp. Because we’ve got some guys who can knock the ball a long way, we’re going to have to cover a long time.”
Nobody boots them farther than Sauerbrun, a three-time Pro Bowler who has averaged 45.3 yards a punt his past five seasons. Broncos coach Mike Shanahan said he believes Sauerbrun will be most appreciated when the team is deep in its own territory or needs a booming punt to swing field position.
“How many punters want to be in there when the game is on the line?” Shanahan said. “He’s got the confidence of a Pro Bowl kicker.”
Mike Klis can be reached at 303-820-5440 or mklis@denverpost.com.
