Earlier this week, the Denver Broncos released starting punter Britton Colquitt in favor of the cheaper, younger option, Riley Dixon.

Colquitt had been one of the league’s best punters throughout his career in Denver, and he was getting paid like it, too. That, though, was the breaking point, as John Elway and the Broncos front office looked to cut down their special teams budget.

Maybe that was a mistake.

In his first game as the Broncos starting punter, Dixon looked out of sync. And when the Broncos needed him in the most, with the offense backed up in their own territory and the second quarter running down, he kicked the ball a grand total of 18 yards.

https://twitter.com/MikeKlis/status/771539694093860864

Safe to say, on an offensively challenged team, you want a punter you can trust, and Broncos Country is getting nervous.

https://twitter.com/JoshPennock/status/771539965477990400

But there is a bit of good news for Dixon: He may not have been the most-dissapointing kicker of the evening.

Brandon McManus botched a 47 yard attempt in the first half, his third miss of the preseason.

That doesn’t mean Dixon’s off the hook, though … he was the holder on the snap.

Whether it’s Trevor Siemian or Paxton Lynch long term, the Denver Broncos can’t afford any missed opportunities or mistakes. From what we’ve seen through this preseason, that’s exactly what they’re going to get from their special teams.

If McManus and Dixon can’t turn it around, the Denver Broncos may have just cut the only kicker on the roster worth trusting.