National Football League

Emmanuel Sanders could be the Broncos' new 'punt catcher'

Published Jun. 19, 2015 12:12 a.m. ET

foxsports

Emmanuel Sanders might not be the best candidate to return punts. After all, Peyton Manning needs his Pro Bowl receiver healthy on the outside.

But Sanders could contribute as the Broncos' "punt-catcher" and line up inside the 10-yard line for fair-catch calls.

"That's something we have to talk about as we go through it," special teams coach Joe DeCamillis told the team's official website. "That's in Coach (Gary) Kubiak's wheelhouse."

The punt returner job is wide open. Kubiak will have to decide between players like Isaiah Burse, Jordan Norwood, Kyle Williams, and Omar Bolden. He'll also make the call on whether he needs a "punt catcher" at all.

Kubiak is used to fielding a fair-catch specialist, though. Ring-of-Famer Rod Smith was a sure-handed option for then-coach Mike Shanahan during Kubiak's first coaching tenure in Denver.

In recent years, Wes Welker and Eric Decker have kept the role alive. And like those two players, Sanders' soft hands could earn him a safer, less-injury prone role on special teams.

(h/t Denver Broncos)