Tag: long snapper

Broncos’ special teams depth chart before the NFL draft

Here is our projected special teams depth chart for the Broncos before the NFL draft.

As the Denver Broncos prepare for the 2023 NFL draft, the team currently has 18 open spots on their 90-man offseason roster (view the players currently on the roster).

The Broncos are going into the draft with five picks, and they might add more picks through trades. After the trade, Denver will fill its 90-man offseason roster by signing undrafted free agents.

As the NFL draft draws closer, we will be reviewing the team’s projected depth charts on special teams, defense and offense before any rookies are added to the roster.

Today, we’re starting with a look at special teams, and there are some notable changes since the last update.

Cowboys sign veteran long snapper Trent Sieg after McQuaide loss

Sieg played with the Raiders for five seasons and was released just last week, around the same time Jake McQuaide left for Detroit. | From @ToddBrock24f7

The Cowboys have landed a new long snapper from the waters of free agency.

Trent Sieg will now wear the star after Dallas signed him to a one-year contract on Wednesday, per the team website.

The 27-year-old had been with the Raiders for five seasons. He first came aboard for Oakland as an injury replacement early in the 2018 season and never gave the job back. After their move to Las Vegas, the club signed Sieg to a three-year contract extension in March 2021.

Sieg was released last week after the Raiders inked a new specialist at the position. The Cowboys, coincidentally, found themselves in the market for a long snapper at about the same time, after Jake McQuaide signed to play for Detroit. Matt Overton, who filled in for McQuaide after an early-October triceps tear, is also a free agent this offseason.

Sieg played his college ball at Colorado State and was a teammate of current Cowboys wide receiver Michael Gallup.

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Packers give new long snapper Matt Orzech $300K signing bonus

Some contract details for new Packers long snapper Matt Orzech.

If money talks, Matt Orzech will be the new long snapper for the Green Bay Packers in 2023 and beyond.

According to Aaron Wilson, Orzech’s three-year deal with the Packers includes a $300,000 signing bonus and veteran minimum salaries in 2023, 2024 and 2025.

The $300,000 will be prorated across three years on the cap, giving him a cap number of $1,180,000 in 2023 (assuming no void years were used).

Orzech brings three years and 50 games of past experience as an NFL long snapper to Green Bay. He snapped for the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2019 and the Los Angeles Rams in 2021 and 2022.

Orzech joins Jack Coco – the Packers’ long snapper last season – as the two players at the position on the current offseason roster, suggesting a competition will be staged across the offseason workout program and training camp. But Orzech’s new deal certainly gives him the financial lead right away.

Coco had a cap number of $705,000 last year. It will bump up to $870,000 in 2023.

Over the Cap has more on Orzech’s contract structure here.

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Cowboys LS Jake McQuaide signs with Detroit

Matt Overton, who replaced the injured McQuaide for most of ’22, is also a free agent; Dallas could be shopping for a new long snapper. | From @ToddBrock24f7

The Cowboys have lost the most specialized player on the field to free agency, as long snapper Jake McQuaide agreed to sign with the Detroit Lions on Monday.

McQuaide, 35, joined his former special teams coordinator John Fassel in Dallas in 2021 after their previous decade together with the Rams. McQauide was brought in to replace the eternal L.P. Ladouceur and proved to be just as rock-steady for the Cowboys until last season.

The two-time Pro Bowler continued an impressive 11-year streak of consecutive starts until a torn triceps suffered at the end of a Week 4 win cost him the rest of his 2022 season.

Dallas had reportedly hoped to bring McQuaide back in 2023, but Detroit has instead secured the veteran’s services with a one-year contract said to be worth $1.3 million.

The Cowboys signed Matt Overton to replace McQuaide last October, but he is also a free agent this offseason.

Some had already been speculating about the Cowboys making a move for Trent Sieg, who was released over the weekend by Las Vegas. The 27-year-old had signed a three-year contract extension with the Raiders in spring of 2021.

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3 former Broncos land deals in free agency

Jacob Bobenmoyer has left the Broncos to join the Raiders. Elsewhere, Drew Lock re-signed with the Seahawks and Malik Reed landed in Miami.

Three players who spent time with the Denver Broncos in 2022 have found homes in free agency.

Most notably, long snapper Jacob Bobenmoyer — who started 46 games for the Broncos over the last three seasons — signed with the Las Vegas Raiders. It’s possible that Denver might bring in competition this summer, but for now, it appears that Mitchell Fraboni is set to handle long-snapping duties in 2023.

Two other players who the Broncos traded last year have also received new deals in free agency.

Quarterback Drew Lock, who was traded to the Seattle Seahawks last March as part of the Russell Wilson trade, is getting a second contract in Seattle. He is set to serve as a backup again in 2023.

Elsewhere, pass rusher Malik Reed, who was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers last September, has landed a one-year deal with the Miami Dolphins. Reed will now reunite with defensive coordinator Vic Fangio and outside linebacker Bradley Chubb, who he played with from 2019-2021.

We are tracking all of Denver’s free agency moves on Broncos Wire.

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Seahawks LS Tyler Ott says he would love to stay in Seattle

A Pro Bowler in 2020, Ott wants to remain in the Emerald City

The game of football is played in three phases. Offense, defense, and the often overlooked special teams. Those who understand the sport know how valuable special teams can be. In many cases, they can very easily be the difference between wins and losses. Fortunately, the Seattle Seahawks have enjoyed mostly consistently solid special teams play.

One of the more unheralded members of any special teams unit is the long snapper. Crucial for field goals, PAT’s, and punts, the long snapper often goes unrecognized. However, the Seahawks have employed one of the better ones in the NFL in Tyler Ott.

Ott signed a four-year extension in 2019, and it has just expired. Currently without a new deal, Ott expressed his explicit desire to remain in the Emerald City.

Ott has been in the NFL since 2014, bouncing around between the New England Patriots, St. Louis Rams, New York Giants and Cincinnati Bengals before finally settling down in the Pacific Northwest. Since 2017 Ott has been a Seattle Seahawk – even becoming a Pro Bowler in 2020.

Contract details for LS Andrew DePaola have been revealed

DePaola’s new contract has guaranteed money that should provide stability to the #Vikings at one of the NFL’s most specialized positions

The Minnesota Vikings gave their All-Pro long snapper Andrew DePaola one of the most lucrative contracts of any player at his position on Tuesday, cementing his role as a cornerstone of their special teams unit. Details of the deal were announced on Wednesday night which show that the team-friendly deal will benefit the Vikings while also providing DePaola a substantial payday following his award-worthy 2022 campaign.

This deal includes a $350,000 signing bonus that, combined with his $15,000 workout bonus each year, will give him plenty of stability over the life of his contract. Though he is set to make the league minimum in all three years of the contract, DePaola’s salary will become fully guaranteed on the third day of the 2024 league year.

All in all, this deal should prove to be a great move that provides stability to the Vikings at one of the NFL’s most specialized positions. With the help of their accomplished long snapper, the sky is the limit for Minnesota’s special teams unit in 2023.

Texans re-sign long snapper Jon Weeks

The Houston Texans have re-signed long snapper Jon Weeks ahead of 2023 free agency.

One of the unofficial opening ceremonies for the Houston Texans’ free agency has been completed.

The Texans re-signed Pro Bowl long snapper Jon Weeks Thursday.

Weeks, 37, will return to the Texans for his 14th NFL season. The former Baylor Bear caught on with the Texans in 2010 after being out of football for two seasons following his collegiate career. Weeks did have a tryout with the Detroit Lions during rookie minicamp in 2008, but was not signed.

The Glendale Mountain Ridge (Arizona) product has played in 210 games for the Texans, an all-time record. Weeks earned his first Pro Bowl in 2015 when he was part of Texans trio for the NFL’s all-star game.

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49ers long snapper Taybor Pepper posted a hilarious, NSFW re-signing video

Everyone loves long snappers!

San Francisco 49ers long snapper Taybor Pepper found the most epic way to announce that he’ll be staying in the Bay Area on a new contract.

Pepper agreed to a three-year extension with the Niners on Saturday and shared a hilarious video sharing the news.

Long snappers don’t usually bring such pizzazz to revealing that they’ve re-signed with their team, but Pepper’s creative approach will surely win him over some new fans.

Although, Pepper got so excited to share the news of his 49ers return that he borrowed a scene from one of the most profane American films of the past decade.

NSFW language to follow. 

That’s right, Pepper used The Wolf of Wall Street to help tell everyone that he’s indeed not going anywhere.

San Francisco fans will appreciate that one of the game’s most unsung positions being settled for their team, but anyone who loves a good laugh will appreciate Pepper’s willingness to have some fun with the news.

Vanderbilt’s long snapper scored a chaotic touchdown. Yes, you read that right.

I can’t believe I just wrote that.

It’s been a fun couple of college football Saturdays for Vanderbilt football.

Last week, the Commodores beat then-No. 24 Kentucky on the road for their first SEC win since 2019. It was a victory that made head coach Clark Lea emotional.

Saturday, Vanderbilt had a different reason to celebrate. The Commodores took a lead in the second quarter against visiting Florida after their long snapper scored a touchdown.

I can’t believe I just wrote that. But yes, you read that correctly.

One more time: A long snapper scored a touchdown for the Vanderbilt Commodores to give them a lead over the Florida Gators.

A scoring play that was as wild and chaotic as this one deserves a closer look. We have to commend Wesley Schelling for his incredible effort on this one-of-a-kind play.

Believe it or not, this is exactly what a lot of special teams coordinators want out of their long snappers in modern college football. For a lot of punt formations, the long snapper often serves as the third gunner. After the ball is snapped, he’s sprinting down the field to not only help in coverage but also to be one of the first responders around the returner.

Georgia special teams quality control coach Kirk Benedict — then the special teams coordinator at Duke – told me in 2019:

“We call our long snapper the third gunner. So, he’s got to be down there making an effect on the return. If he’s not, our goal is to have a guy who can impact their scheme in some way. He’s either drawing an extra defender, or he’s down there in the returner’s face.”

Of course, the long snapper isn’t going to force or recover a fumble on every punt, but it’s ideal that they’re in a position to make a play if needed. Saturday, Schelling was in the right place at the right time, and it paid off in a big way for Vandy.

UPDATE: Vanderbilt is on a two-game win streak after beating Florida, 31-24.

Feature image courtesy of ESPN.

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