The Denver Broncos continued their impressive free-agency haul by signing punter Riley Dixon to a two-year contract.

Dixon and the Broncos are no strangers to one another, as the Broncos drafted Dixon in the seventh round of the 2016 NFL Draft. In his rookie season, Dixon would earn PFWA All-Rookie honors. Dixon would spend his first two seasons in the league with the Broncos before being traded to the New York Giants. Dixon played four seasons with the Giants before being released in March 2022. About a month later, Dixon was signed to a one-year deal by the Los Angeles Rams.

In a corresponding move, the Broncos withdrew their tender to Corliss Waitman, who punted for the team in 2022.

Waitman found himself struggling a bit in Denver. In a city with premium air for punting and kicking, Waitman still ranked below average among NFL punters. He averaged 46.6 yards per punt and punted a league-high 96 times in 2022.

In comparison, Dixon was ranked in the top 10 for average yards per punt. He achieved a career-high 48.4 yards per punt in 2022.

“I had a great experience here the first time around,” Dixon told Broncos TV. “I’m fortunate enough for an opportunity to come back.”

For the past few seasons, the Broncos have found themselves struggling with special teams. But heading into 2023, Denver will have a new special teams coach, a new long snapper, and a (somewhat) new punter in Dixon. Ideally, the Broncos won't need to punt nearly as much as they did in 2022. But when the time comes to punt, their hopes of pinning opponents deep will rely on Dixon's booming leg.