Signing a Veteran Kicker is a Must for the Denver Broncos

Dec 15, 2013; Nashville, TN, USA; Tennessee Titans kicker Rob Bironas (2) kicks a field goal while punter Brett Kern (6) holds against the Arizona Cardinals during the first half at LP Field. Mandatory Credit: Don McPeak-USA TODAY Sports

With the four game suspension of kicker Matt Prater, the Denver Broncos find themselves in an uncomfortable spot with the season only two weeks away. Prater is one of the best kickers in the NFL and also has one of the strongest legs. Despite his lackluster preseason, Prater will be difficult to replace and his absence could be costly.

The Broncos play three playoff teams in the first three weeks of the season and a very good Arizona Cardinals team in week four. Any or all of those games could come down to a field goal and going in with an unproven kicker like Mitch Ewald is not a good idea.

Ewald has been with the Broncos since the start of training camp to the surprise of many, but now we know why. The Broncos have probably known about the Prater suspension for quite some time and were obviously preparing for this day. However Ewald is inconsistent and is not the kicker you want on a championship caliber team, even for four weeks.

The Broncos must sign a veteran while Prater is serving his suspension, these first four games are just too important. Now the list of available veteran kickers is not all that impressive, but there are a few who would fit the bill.

• David Akers: Akers is older and his best years are behind him but he is still probably capable of hitting field goals inside of 40 yards. He won’t have the range of Prater, but Akers could probably handle the job for the short-term. Kickoffs would be a concern and the Broncos would have to be much better in kick coverage because Akers is not going to boom them through the end zone.
• Rob Bironas: Bironas is another veteran kicker who is extremely accurate inside of 40 yards. He is younger and his leg is stronger than Akers, making him a more attractive option in my opinion.
• Lawrence Tynes: Tynes has kicked in big games, including two Super Bowls for the New York Giants. Tynes was recently released by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Other than those three, the pickings are slim. The Broncos could wait a week and see if anyone is released that might peak their interest. A kicker can be brought in the day before the opener and still perform, so there’s still time.

This much is true though, the Broncos have too much on the line this season to go into it with an unproven kicker like Ewald. They must sign a veteran kicker before September 7^th.