Welcome back and keep the queries coming …
Today’s comes from Gerald Slomka in Rockville, Md.:
Q: Have the Broncos considered using Chris Simms as a holder for field goals? Denver used to always have the backup QB doing the holding. It would seem that a fake field goal would be a much more viable option when you have a quarterback back there to handle the ball instead of a punter. Is it just that the quarterbacks are a lot busier during practice than the punters, so don’t have the opportunity to get in training time?
A: A lot of special-team coaches I’ve come across like to use the punter these days as the holder on field-goal attempts because of what you have alluded to — that they will simply have more time to work with the kicker through the week as the season goes along.
They can work together, off to the side, during all points of practice. If the quarterback is the holder, then he gets to work with the kicker only during special-teams periods, which overall would amount to far less practice time each day, perhaps just one or two short segments of the workout on some days.
So, for the sake of continuity, the punter has become the go-to guy for the holder job in most places around the league. Also, he’s certainly used to catching the ball fired from the long snapper as well, having done it so often to do his own job.
A short snap — or field-goal snap — is lower and can have a little more zip on it, but the transition is pretty easy for a punter to make.
This week will be interesting for people to watch for the Broncos since Mitch Berger is expected to hold for Matt Prater for the first time in a game this season. Brett Kern, the Broncos’ former punter, was released Monday when Berger was signed.
The Broncos also had just two full days of practice outside this week — Monday and Friday — because of the snow, so there could be an adjustment there as well.
But the group will take some snaps before warm-ups start Sunday in Baltimore as well as some work Saturday before the Broncos leave for the airport.
Quarterback Kyle Orton is the Broncos’ backup holder and does take a few reps with the special-teams unit each week to stay sharp. And if the Broncos didn’t like how it was going with Prater and Berger, it is expected he would be the one to go in and be the holder.
A quarterback would be better for a trick play from time to time, but usually the holder isn’t asked to throw it that far anyway, and most are good enough athletes to make a throw when they have to.
Jeff Legwold: 303-954-2359 or jlegwold@denverpost.com
