New NFL kickoff rules shift focus from power to finesse

It appears a debate within the Broncos is unfolding.

Whether the NFL’S new kickoff guidelines are a positive or negative for the sport depends on whom you ask.

“The rules are good to keep everybody healthy,” receiver Isaiah Mckenzie said.

“If I had to choose,” countered safety Justin Simmons, “I would say I’m more not a fan.”

That difference of opinion was the backdrop at Dove Valley for last week’s mandatory minicamp as the Broncos, and every other NFL team, prepare to face a new reality when covering and returning kickoffs. First-year Broncos specialteams coach Tom Mcmahon said: “We’re just in the beginning stage. We have a long way to go in training camp.”

A quick breakdown of the major changes:

Kickoff coverage: Instead of allowing at least four players on each side of the ball to have a 5yard running start, teams must employ a five-by-five alignment with no running start.

Kickoff return: No fewer than eight players must be in the “setup zone” between the kicking team’s 45-yard line and the return team’s 40-yard line, and up to three return players can set up behind the zone. No wedge blocks are allowed. The ball is dead if untouched by the receiving team and in the end zone (touchback).

The new rules, as voted on by

league owners last month, are a response to an NFL concussion study between the 2015 and 2017 seasons (preseason, regular season and postseason) that discovered kickoff returns were responsible for roughly 12 percent of all concussions — approximately four times the concussion rate of other plays.

How will the Broncos adjust? “Oh, we’ve got a secret plan for that,” safety Will Parks said.

The Broncos dedicated several special teams periods to address kickoff schematics through minicamp last week and one aspect warranted the most attention — eliminating running starts on coverage. Mcmahon said “it’s going to be great for the game,” by lowering contact speed between tackler and returner. The challenge will be maximizing fast starts, like a sprinter in the starting blocks, but while also staying onside. Denver has turned to strengthandconditioning coach Loren Landow to develop those quicktwitch mechanics.

“The hardest part is you’re trying to roll into it,” Mcmahon said. “And if you roll, you can see my head already crossed the line (of scrimmage). So, we’re trying to get it down to where we can (have) just that half a second. We’re going to need it down the field.”

The true ingame impact of the kickoff changes have yet to be seen. On paper, though, it appears one group will hold a distinct advantage, or, as Parks smiled and said: “If I was a returner, I’d be licking my chops.” Good news for a Broncos franchise starving for kickoff return touchdowns. Denver hasn’t accomplished such a feat in the regular season since 2013 when Trindon Holliday took one back 105 yards against the Eagles.

Denver relied mostly on running back Devontae Booker to return kicks last year, but the role is hardly settled as the Broncos enter their summer break. Among those who received reps in minicamp at the position were Mckenzie, cornerback Brendan Langley and rookie running back Phillip Lindsay.

“You can see the return develop a little bit faster because they’re coming slower and we have come to get on our blocks to open up holes,” Mckenzie said. “We’ve got some guys on the return team who are fast, elusive, can find the hole, hit it and score touchdowns.”

As for making kickoffs safer, MCKenzie added: “I’ve seen a lot of big hits and guys have concussions (on kickoff returns). The rules are good to keep everybody healthy and take away some of the collisions.”

“It’s going to go to a safer play because it’s going to be manageable in the effect of having big skill on big skill,” Broncos coach Vance Joseph said. “It won’t be offensive linemen blocking skill players. It’s going to be a speed and skill play now. It won’t be a wedge, aggressive doubleteam play. It’s going to be like a basketball play.”

However, for players such as Simmons, the Broncos’ thirdyear safety who earned his stripes on special teams coverage, there are

potentially negative consequences.

“I always think of guys like (New England Patriots wide receiver) Matthew Slater who make a living, a probowler, all the time on special teams,” Simmons said. “You’re taking away a gamechanging play from a special teams standpoint.”

Former Broncos’ kicker David Treadwell (198992) isn’t sure the rules will lessen injuries, especially when “pooch kicks” are used.

“I think that would create more collisions because we know Brandon Mcmanus’ leg is nuclear and he can kick it out of the end zone any time he wants, but why wouldn’t you try and put great hang time and put it at the 1 or 2yard line and try to pin them inside the 20?” Treadwell said. “Instead of (the coverage unit) being at full speed in 15 yards, maybe they’re full speed just a few yards later, but they will still get up to speed pretty quickly.”

No matter the opinion of the new rules, this much remains clear: Kickoff coverage and return units

will shift from power to more finesse — with potentially more touchdowns.

“The diesels are out of the game now,” Mcmahon said. “It’s all Ferraris right now.”

Kyle Fredrickson: kfredrickson@denverpost.com or @kylefredrickson