During the 2017 season, the thought of a punt return was a scary one for the Denver Broncos. The unit struggled, coughing up the ball plenty of times, including six fumbles by then-rookie Isaiah McKenzie.
The Broncos expect that number to be lowered significantly. So do I.
In limited action this preseason, McKenzie looked a lot more comfortable than he did as a rookie.
That is to be expected.
In Saturday night’s matchup with the Chicago Bears, McKenzie had two opportunities as the punt returner. He gained 35 yards without fumbling the ball.
That gives me confidence that he has gotten over the rookie jitters and will be able to make a big contribution to the special teams unit in 2018.