DENVER >> The Denver Broncos yesterday broke up a kicking duo that's been together for almost 10 years. Broncos release
veteran punter and
sign kickoff specialistStar-Bulletin wire services
The Broncos released punter Tom Rouen, and signed punter-kicker Micah Knorr.
The move probably means Hawaii alumnus Jason Elam will no longer be kicking off for the Broncos. Coach Mike Shanahan had been concerned with Elam's consistently short kickoffs, and brought in eight kickoff specialists for a tryout last week.
Knorr, who was released last week by the Dallas Cowboys, was the one who stood out the most.
Denver elected not to sign another place-kicker, giving Elam -- who has generally been solid on field goals and extra points, although he did miss two field-goal attempts Sunday against new England -- another week to prove himself. His kickoffs were merely average Sunday.
"We've just got to make sure we're a little bit more consistent with our kicks, a little bit more consistent with our snaps," Shanahan told the Daily Camera (Boulder, Colo.) just prior to the move. "We'd like to become more consistent in the special teams area."
Despite all the talk of Elam's kickoffs, the move comes as somewhat of a surprise.
When asked by the Rocky Mountain News on Monday if he might revisit plans to bring in a kickoff specialist, he said, "No, not really."
"Jason has done a lot of good things for us. Right now, you'd probably call him in a little bit of a slump. But I'd be surprised if he doesn't come out of it," Shanahan said.
Knorr, in his third NFL season, played 37 games as a punter and kickoff specialist for Dallas. He had a net punting average of 33.6 yards for his career before being released Oct. 22.
Knorr also has been a holder on field goals and extra points, a job previously handled by Rouen.
"I did field goals in college, too," Knorr said. "It seems like I'm a utility man for the Broncos. I was in there for a kickoff tryout, and it looks like they've expanded my role. How far they expanded it, I don't know."
About half of Knorr's kickoffs have gone into the end zone. The last two games, Elam's kickoffs have landed between the 5- and 18-yard lines.
While the Broncos cut Rouen partly because they wanted to do something about Elam's short kickoffs, Rouen did struggle. The 10-year veteran shanked a punt that traveled only 26 yards in Sunday's 24-16 win over New England, and hit a line-drive kick that was returned 40 yards.
Giving a hint of what was to come, coach Mike Shanahan said Monday, "Our punter had a tough day."
Rouen, who has had two punts blocked this season, has the worst net punting average in the AFC this season (31.7 yards).
Rouen, 34, played 152 games for the Broncos over 10 seasons, the most ever for a Denver punter. In 1999 he led the NFL in gross punting average (46.5) and ranked among the league's top three punters in four seasons.
After Rouen's average slumped to 40.2 in 2000, the Broncos drafted punter Nick Harris in the fourth round, but Rouen withstood the challenge and retained his job.
Rouen holds the franchise career records with 641 punts for 28,146 yards, and is third with a 43.9-yard average.
Elam and Rouen were attempting to become the kicker and holder with the longest consecutive streak in NFL history, at least unofficially. According to their research, only Buffalo's Chris Mohr and Steve Christie lasted as long together, enjoying a nine-year partnership before they split in 2001.
"It's one of those things where you don't ever want to say it can never be done again," Rouen told the Rocky Mountain News in an Aug. 5 story. "But looking back and with free agency, it's tough."
Elam was quoted as saying in that story, "Every punter that they bring in here, they always leave saying, 'Man, I never realized how good he was.' I've heard a lot of people come in and say, 'I don't think he's that good,' and two weeks later, they're like, 'He's legit.' "
Elam has missed just one extra point in his career, and it happened when he was a rookie. He has since made a league record 366 in a row.
Lelie's emergence may have cost Kasper a job: The Broncos also released wide receiver Kevin Kasper yesterday, partly due to the emergence of rookie wideout and Hawaii alumnus Ashley Lelie.
Kasper, who showed promise as a receiver and kick returner since being drafted in 2001, has been plagued by injuries. The Broncos' regular kickoff returner, he was inactive Sunday.
He played in four games this season, only on special teams. He returned 15 kickoffs for a 26.2-yard average, with a long of 56.
Fuamatu-Ma'afala to miss two weeks: Steelers running back Chris Fuamatu-Ma'afala will miss at least two games with a torn pectoral muscle that will not require surgery.
The injury leaves the Steelers thin at what usually is their deepest position. Jerome Bettis (knee sprain) sat out a 31-18 victory Sunday at Baltimore and is listed as doubtful for Sunday's game at Cleveland.
Fuamatu-Ma'afala was hurt on the Steelers' final possession when a Ravens defender tried to pull the ball from his hands.
Even with the injuries, coach Bill Cowher said he is comfortable with Amos Zereoue and rookie Verron Haynes at running back and doesn't anticipate any roster moves.
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