Fresh off their bye week break, the Broncos have added a new veteran face to boost them for the stretch run.
The team signed 16-year veteran punter Mitch Berger on Monday, it was announced. To make room for Berger on the roster, the club waived second-year punter Brett Kern.
A University of Colorado alum, Berger joins the Broncos after winning a Super Bowl with the Steelers last season. With Pittsburgh, he played a key role in the field position game, holding opponents to 6.4 yards per punt return. Berger also has stints with Arizona (2007), New Orleans (2003-05), St. Louis (2002), Minnesota (1996-2001), Chicago (1995) and Philadelphia (1994).
Over the last decade, Berger has ranked among the league’s best. Since 1999, he is fifth in the NFL in both gross (43.4) and net (36.6) average (min. 500 punts).
Over that 10-year span, Berger was voted to the Pro Bowl twice. His first honor came in 1999 with the Vikings, where he led the NFC and finished second in the league with a 44.7-yard average. The second honor came five years later with the Saints, where he led the NFL with a 39.0-yard net average.
Berger also brings plenty of postseason experience to Denver. He has punted in 12 career playoff games, including last year’s Super Bowl with Pittsburgh. In those contests, he booted 55 punts for 2,238 yards (40.7 avg.), with five touchbacks and 12 kicks inside the 20-yard line.
Tags: Baltimore Ravens, Mitch Berger, Roster Moves, Week 8
ummm? Why? Kern wasn’t doing a BAD job…….?
Kerns punts were typically boomers but low….causing the recieving team to have a better return…..a higher punt allows for better punt coverage
I think the issues was not the distance, but the hang time on his kicks. The ball got to the returned too quickly and the coverage was not in proper position.
I’m a little surprised. I figured that Prater’s job was more at risk considering his recent inability to kick off to the end zone and missing a field goal or two. But, Kern’s kicks have lacked hang time and consistancy in length.
I am very puzzled!! Kern was doing very well.
Out of six games Kern had only one good in my eye, against Dallas. I think his replacement is totally justified.
I think this is a good move
Wow, I thought he was good and his stats are good, he rank 10th on avg yrds. McD must know something, I trust his decisions. Kern will land a job right away.
6 games 27 punts, 1245 yrds, 46.1 avg, 64 long, 9 in20, 4 in10,
4 FC, 6(1st in Touchbacks), 0 blk
GO BRONCOS!!!!!!!!
I am re-posting this post in case somebody can give me some answers.
Denwu, what is scaring you about this Ravens game now? I understand you thinking we would lose this one when the schedule came out, I did too. I know we historically haven’t done well there in the past, but 1) we are a nearly completely different team with no recollection of what’s happened there in the past, and MORE IMPORTANTLY, 2) the Ravens have only won the first three games of the season, at home against KC and Cleveland and away against the Chargers, who at that time had all sort of problems and were considered by most to be playing poorly. They also have lost their last three. So, please explain to me why this game now should be tougher than any other to go to the point of thinking that we will lose, other than the historic factor, which in my eye has become a non factor. I’d appreciate any imput about that from anyone…
The DP says his punts were too low which was an invitation for the long returns.
long but low, dangerous combo.
Did Colquitt get picked up by another team? He and Kern had a real good and close preseason battle. I have seen Burger and I am not that impressed.Good punters don’t go thru 7or 8 teams
If he is so good, why has he been on so many teams???hummmmm
tnalen66, you’re hungry? Burger, LOL.
tnalen, I am with you I thought he did a nice job but maybe mcD wants experience in this critical field position battle. It looks like he is still a free agent.
I believe Colquitt is the KC punter.
The Ravens have their backs agaist the wall. A another lost and they are done. No Division or Wild card. Cincy and or Pitt are the division winner and 1 of two wild cards(Houston,SD or Jets) the other.They have an extra week to fix a broken D and Flaco is playing great.Look at the AFC QBs for the Pro Bowl Manning Brady Rivers Flaco Palmer Schab, Orton will probally miss it even though he will have ALOT better #’s than Cutler did last year.The NFC is alot easier Brees, Rogers and thats about it.
Mitch Berger the man that keeps a snickers bar in his sneaker.
Yup baylino I believe I heard them mention Dustin Colquitt name yesterday when I watched the KC SD game.
Umm i lil puzzled by this.. i thought brett kern was doing just fine. Hell i just got finished voting on the pro-bowl ballot and i voted for him. Well it is a business. Best of luck to you Brett!
wow!kern gets wavd just for that one punt return from sproles for a td?..im just playin.but the timing is odd..
Did some one mention a burger? I will take mine w/ bacon chz and mushrooms.
U can vote for the probowl already? I only seen the add for tickets.
We were trying Britton Colquitt out during training camp. His older brother DUSTIN is the Chiefs punter. Kern’s net average was one of the lowest in the league. That is why he was cut.
I’m excited to see what Berger can do on punts(not that I want him to have many opportunities lol, but it happens to everyone). And I hear Spencer Larsen is expected to practice this week! Awesome
Surround us with playoff caliber players, working so far, sounds good to me.Baylin is right long low kicks are so dangerous.Go Broncos!!!!!!!!!!!
lol thanks bronc, I knew Dustin didnt sound right, but I could not remember the first name of the punter we tryed out(I guess I could of played internet detective but I dont mind being wrong sometimes :p)
Hillis/Larsen and Knowshawn Moreno —- The Denver Broncos version of SHOCK and AWE!!!!
Not really suprised, a while ago they were working out some punters. If you look at the return Sproles had, the kick was low and our coverage didn’t quite get down there in time. More hangtime = more time for converage team to get down field.
i dont understand how hillis doent get n e playing time hes amazing receiver and good running back. knowshon fits just this isnt a running offense. larsen was good (not great) at lb and fb.
Best wishes to Kern, no doubt he’ll land somewhere else soon.
It just shows how the coaches are working hard, trying to improve another part of the team DURING BYE week…
I like our Special TEams…Our gunners (Barret and Bruton) we’re always first to get to the returner…
FInally, football week coming up….I would like to see who brings more intensity, Ray Lewis or our Brina Dawkins!!!legends on the field…
I am also confused with this pick up. Bergers net avg is 36.6, only two yards farther than Kern. His avg punt is 43.4 yards, two yards shorter than Kern. I think Kern was doing well, you can’t really blame him for the punt team not covering well. But I guess at this point We (broncos country) are obligated to trust McHoody. So I believe this is the right decision. Go Broncos!
You know Ray gonna say something like” Today someone gonna get hit in the mouth. People saying they touch. Well let go see then. Hit’em in the mouth on 3. 1 2 . Hit’em in the mouth.”
It’s gonna be a hard and I mean hard hitting game. We gonna see who will be left standing. Get your injury report sheets ready. That’s for both teams!
to all my broncos brothers and sisters….if coach said he got to go…then i;ll take coach at his word….6-0 can do things that way….lol
as far as the Ravens….and also the next game after that, the Steelers at home….more worried about the Steelers than the Ravens….who are in a decline this season…..
the guy who wrote that this IS a totally different team than last year…that guy is totally correct. Last year’s team under Shannahan never could rush the passer, stop the run or the pass..or even get the opponent off the damn field on 3rd downs….not like these guys…
Good thing we dont play any of the other scariest teams (Colts, Saints) until the playoffs….PLAYOFFS? Thats right i said it…With home field advantage all the way thru…and Coach of the Year(to be)…
Biggest Broncos fan…this side of the Rockies….
LoL I forgot the 3. lol Kern will learn and get picked up somewhere else. They are thinking having no weaknesses. Can’t just wait and see nowadays. That what got Shanny fired. Acting not waiting got us to 6-0.
We do play the Colts this season.
nyc bronco man – We play the Colts week 14.
I saw this move coming a week ago when i read the thread on Broncos Country. I think it is a great move!!! McDaniels knows in order to be a winning team you need to great at every phase of the game offense, defense, and special teams. The offense, sure they are not explosive but they are productive and i can deal with that. The Defense is…well you know…#1 in the league!!! And now and that we got Eddie running back kicks for TD’s now and the move to pick up Burger, i think complete the final phase. Although i wouldn’t mind it if the same move were to happen to Matt Prater, he is getting to unreliable.
tnalen66, you are right, the Ravens have their backs against the wall, I see that as the only key advantage they have on us, they need this one way more than we do, but if we come out as hungry as we have been, I don’t see how that will have that much of an effect on the outcome of the game, look the Dallas and SD games, both those teams had that sense of urgency against us and it wasn’t enough. And Flacco has looked good, granted, but when he went up against a real good D, Cinci’s, as we well know, they only put up 14 points. I think that’s a good barometer as far as what they can do offensively on our D, I don’t put as much emphasis on their 28.2 points average per game. I still don’t buy the arguments why we should be scared of these guys anymore than who we’ve played so far. At San diego, the way they played us, I doubt this game can be any harder than that one was.
i think our pass rush is going to really change the game against the ravens…we were able to force rivers to make aweful passes and we sacked and made him fuble however many times…i think joe flacco isnt going to be able to handle the pressure and will throw a pair of interceptions and we will sack him numerous times increasing our chances of fumbles…therefore we will win!
Guys, he is our punter now, let’s try to call him by his real name, Berger, not some fast food item (Burger)…
Agreed Baylin! Let’s show him our support!
A Berger better than a hot dog any day!
Hope Kern finds a team right away..best wishes
Lets play harder every week & beat baltimore.. one team at a time
LETS GO BRONCOS!!!!!!!!
Hey we do not have a full back listed on the pro bowl voting. Vote vote vote for your BRONCOS!!
I am not scared or worried at all about the Baltimore game. They have shown hugely that they buckle under pressure which is something that our defense does majorly to all of the offenses that we have faced. Look at it this way, we beat the Bengals and the Pats and they both beat the Ravens. The other team that they lost to was the Vikings. So look at this. They had all three games won there but lost because of pressure. Whenever they played the Pats, Mason dropped two back to back pass attempts which he was wide open and which then lost the game. The Vikings game they lost bc of their kicker. And they let the Bengals come back in the game to win it. Their defense is not doing all that good on the short passes and that is where we excel. Trust me my brothers, this will be a hard fought hitting game, but we have been a truly consistent team and our defense has played amazing! The only thing we have to watch really is Rice and Mason!! With Orton and our wideouts, they have to watch Lewis and Reed!!
Broncos 24-14
I really love this coaching staff.This was my one complaint the punting. I didn’t realize they were low but what got me was all those touchbacks when opposing team should have been trapped at the ten or so.It just seemed he was too much motivated by gross yeards which mean nothing and not enough by the net.And yeah the punt to Sproles was too long and not high enough.Great to get Berger who went to CU.I’m just waiting for the money line to be posted.Hey wonder when Larsen gets back.Our draft pick keeps getting better.Where do I find Bears blogs to torture them about KO v Jay.
Baylinorcrush and tnalen…
I agree with you, they do need a win worse than we do and they are coming off of a bye week! But we were in the EXACT SAME setup last week. San Diego needed to win a heck of a lot more than the Ravens do and they were coming off of their bye week. We destroyed them in their own home and we have always had problems played at San Diego in the past. We will control their rushing and their passing attack with our rushing defense! We will put major pressure on Flacco and I expect Bailey to get 1-2 more picks this week! They will be trying to hit Mason more and Bailey should be covering him. The past 3 QB’s we have faced, Romo, Brady, and Rivers, we have stripped the ball from them and got a turnover from the forced fumble. Doom is going to be another huge factor in this game with at least 3 sacks!!
GOOO BRRONNNCCOOSS!
paulbedicheck, the Chicago tribune, I go there just to see all kinds of Bronco fans giving it to Bears fans, so I never need to do any trashing myself, it’s not my style anyway, but I have fun watching others do it, shame on me? LOL.
Cam Cameron is the offensive coordinator in Baltimore and has opened up the playbook for Flacco. (He was SD off coord, when Marty was there). Flacco’s relief valve is Derrick Mason, (veteran WR). TE Todd Heap reminds me of Whitten from the Cowboys, great blocker and gets open down the seams. Their offense had a pretty good outing against Vikings, with the kid from Rutgers (Rice) running well. Defensively Ravens have slipped somewhat but are still tough.
Broncos are alot tougher than anyone expected so this is going to be another tough round for the Ravens. Great matchup!
We’ll get to see former Broncos DB Dominique Foxworth now playing for the Ravens.
Did anyone see former Broncos DB Karl Paymah playing for the Vikings yesterday?
GO BRONCOS!!!