Elliott Fry, Brett Maher travel different paths to Broncos’ kicking competition

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Denver’s kickers are not shying away from a competition.

As Elliott Fry and Brett Maher battle for the Broncos’ kicking job, they’re both focused on their own process. But as Fry admitted Tuesday, they’re both well aware of how the other is performing during the early stages of training camp.

“It’s not like I’m hiding from it,” Fry said of the competition. “We both know what we’re doing. You’re not focused on what he’s doing. You’re focused on what you’re doing. But absolutely, he goes in and [attempts] one, I know if he makes or misses. I think that’s vice versa.”

The battle hasn’t been hard to track, as Head Coach Sean Payton said there has been just one missed kick through their first three field-goal periods.

“Back-and-forth,” said Payton when asked for his evaluation of the battle. “Today, I think, was our third field goal session. [It was] the first time we missed one. They’re doing good.”

In Fry and Maher, the Broncos have kickers with two distinctly different paths competing for the same job.

Fry, who signed with the team following the Broncos’ release of Brandon McManus, has spent time with nearly a dozen teams but appeared in just three regular-season games.

“I’m really confident in what I’m doing,” Fry said. “I think we’re both kicking really well. I think a lot of kickers, especially during COVID, there’s a lot of times where you’re going in to fill in for a week, and then that guy is back. I’ve kicked behind a few Pro Bowlers. You go in and have a good game, but there’s no real path forward, I guess. That’s kind of been my career, but I’m excited to be here right now and I’m excited to compete.”

Fry said the NFL can be difficult to break into, especially when you’re not drafted.

“I’ve got a little uphill battle, but I’ve always been confident in what I do,” Fry said. “That’s kind of pushed me. It sounds kind of dumb, but if you keep getting calls, I’m not going to say no.”