The Kansas City Chiefs enter the 2017 season with three specialists coming off a memorable 2016 season and offseason.
Dustin Colquitt is entering his thirteenth season with the Chiefs.
The punter, who was selected by the Chiefs in the third round of the 2005 NFL Draft, has played in 190 career regular season games over his time with the Chiefs, which is the most of any player on the current roster.
Colquitt is also the first player in club history with 391 regular-season punts inside the 20-yard line, which ranks fifth in NFL history.
Cairo Santos, the fourth-year kicker out of Tulane, signed his restricted free-agent tender to remain with the Chiefs this past April.
Santos continues to improve each year as he hit a career-high 88.6 percent of his field goal attempts this past season.
Long snapper James Winchester signed a contract extension with the Chiefs this past January.
Winchester, who originally entered the NFL as a free agent with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2013, just finished his second season with the Chiefs. He originally signed with the team as a free agent in 2015.
These three help lead a special teams unit that ranks as one of the best in the league.
In an article from Nate Davis of USA Today, the Chiefs come in at No. 2 in the NFL among special team groups.
Here's what Davis had to say:
"2. Kansas City Chiefs: Tyreek Hill was the NFL's pre-eminent punt returner as a rookie, no one eclipsing his two TDs or 15.2-yard average. But his new role as the featured receiver could limit his opportunities, and the Chiefs no longer plan to use him on kickoffs. Dustin Colquitt's 38 punts inside the 20 paced the AFC, and he rarely allows chunky returns. Cairo Santos' 88.6% FG rate ranked fifth in the league."
2016 Review:
Colquitt earned the second Pro Bowl honor of his career.
He finished the season by averaging 45.1 yards per punt with 38 punts landing inside an opponent's 20-yard line.
Santos converted 31 of his 35 field-goal tries and 36 of his 39 extra-point attempts, tying his career high of 129 total points.
The native of Brazil won the league's special teams player of the month award for November after connecting on 11 of 11 field goals.
Santos' most memorable moment though, may be when he booted the doink-seen-round-the-world to win last season's Sunday Night Football thriller in Denver.
Winchester has helped lead one of the NFL's most successful special teams units over the past couple of seasons. He had a key fumble recovery in Week 12 against the Denver Broncos on a muffed punt.
Santos and Winchester took part in a workout at Daytona International Speedway this week.
The Chiefs players were joined by other NFL kickers, punters and return men who were taking part in the “One on One Kicking” camp at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Fla.
2017 Outlook:
All three specialists return for their third year together for another successful special teams season under the direction of coach Dave Toub.
