With so many stars leaving for new teams and millions of dollars being distributed, it can be easy to discount the value of loyalty in NFL free agency. Despite Wil Lutz seemingly deciding to join the Jacksonville Jaguars, the veteran kicker is sticking with the man who has been his head coach for nearly his entire NFL career. He is returning to the Denver Broncos.
It was originally reported that Lutz would head to the Jaguars after agreeing to a three-year contract, but Sean Payton and the Broncos are not letting him slip away. A two-year deal will keep him in the Mile-High city, per Mike Klis of 9News. The 2019 Pro Bowl selection is going to brave Denver's rebuilding efforts and do what he can to keep bringing stability to the special teams unit.
Lutz, who first linked up with Payton after signing with the New Orleans Saints in 2016, connected on 30-of-34 field goal attempts for the Broncos last season (88.2 percent). He only missed three kicks from beyond 40 yards as he continues to be one of the more reliable long-distance guys in the NFL.
In his only year away from Payton in 2022-23, Wil Lutz put together the worst campaign of his seven-season career (23-of-31, 74.2 percent). He regained his form last year after the Super Bowl 44 champion traded a seventh-round draft pick for him.
The mental component is so prominent in kicking, hence why having unconditional trust with a coach could genuinely make a difference. Conversely, the Jaguars are probably not going to trust anything that comes out of the 29-year-old's mouth again.
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