ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — The Denver Broncos have released 10-year veteran punter Sam Martin. Martin was due to make $2.7 million this season.

He was beaten out by second-year punter Corliss Waitman, a waiver wire pickup who is due to make $825,000 in 2022.

Martin was one of two veteran punters released Monday. The Tennessee Titans released three-time Pro Bowl selection Brett Kern, who had been with the team since 2009.

Broncos new president to put international expertise to use

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Damani Leech spent the past four years as chief operating officer of NFL International, and he isn’t abandoning his goal of growing the game interculturally in his new role as president of the Denver Broncos.

Leech said Monday that he aims to expand the franchise's footprint both in and beyond Mexico, which is the team's international home market area.

“Yeah, it’s definitely something I’m gonna look at,” Leech said following his introductory news conference. "I mean, Mexico is just a special place. A lot of people don’t understand the level of football passion — not just fandom, but passion — in Mexico is really strong. The Broncos are one of the more popular teams there.

“But obviously Canada, as well. Sometimes people take it for granted and nobody really pays any attention to (Canada). But then also, I think in Brazil there’s a lot of opportunity.”

Leech succeeded Joe Ellis as Broncos president following the Walton-Penner ownership group's recent $4.56 billion acquisition of the franchise.

Leech, 46, who played cornerback at Princeton, spent eight years in leadership positions at NFL headquarters following a 17-year stint at the NCAA national offices in Indianapolis. He directed the launch of the NFL’s International HMA program in 2021 to drive global fan interest.

Co-owner and CEO Greg Penner called Leech “the perfect person to help lead this franchise into the future.”

“His 25 years of experience in both the NCAA and growing the game with the NFL give him a great base of experience to draw from,” Penner said. “As a former college player himself, he understands football and he appreciates the value of teamwork.”

Leech is in charge of business operations for the Broncos and their stadium while general manger George Paton runs the football side. Both report directly to Penner.

“My focus is outside the lines,” Leech said. “I won’t be picking players or calling plays. I’m focused on the fans and the community, growing our fan base ... and doing what we can to make our players successful on the field and off the field.”

Penner said Leech's experience at the league office is invaluable.

“Damani really rose to the top with his experience at the NFL, working with the 32 different organizations and growing the business on the international basis,” Penner said.

Leech is one of only a handful of Black team presidents in the league.

“We have said from the start that diversity is really important to us,” said Penner, whose ownership group includes three Black minority investors. “That’s diversity of experiences, perspective, background, ethnicity, all of that is what makes us better."

Penner added, “Damani rose to the top because he’s the right person for this role. He has the right set of experiences, background, and his vision and values matched really well with ours.”

Leech said he's "a firm believer that DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) is a strategic advantage. I think the clubs and organizations that lean into it are going to be more successful."

Among the things Leech will help Penner determine is whether to make changes to the team's navy and orange uniforms and whether to upgrade or replace 22-year-old Empower Field at Mile High.

He said he'll evaluate both issues thoroughly but “on Day 1 I don't have any proclamations to make" on either matter. He did say that as far as the uniforms are concerned, "You have to try to balance history and tradition and three Super Bowls wearing this uniform, but also understanding that tastes evolve, your customer evolves, connecting with fans and representing your brand in the best way is important to do.”

Penner said he's heard from plenty of fans about the team's uniforms, but “I have not formed any conclusions yet.”

The Broncos have undergone a massive makeover this offseason. In addition to the team's sale and its hiring of a new president, second-year GM Paton hired rookie head coach Nathaniel Hackett and traded for premier passer Russell Wilson.

Leech said that's part of what made his new job so attractive.

“When you want to grow and innovate, having people who are coming to it with fresh eyes and/or different experiences across business and life was really attractive,” he said.

AFC West: tough division with talented group of QBs

DENVER (AP) — The AFC West no longer looks like such a cakewalk for the Kansas City Chiefs now that Tyreek Hill is dashing past defenders in Miami.

Not only did the Chiefs shockingly send Patrick Mahomes' top receiver to the Dolphins for a fistful of draft picks, but their rivals all made major moves in hopes of ending Kansas City's divisional dominance.

— The Chargers invested more than $70 million on defensive free agents as they surround QB Justin Herbert with a better roster. They acquired LB Khalil Mack and ex-Patriots CB J.C. Jackson, who had an NFL-high 25 interceptions over the past four seasons. They also made Derwin James the league's highest-paid safety with a four-year, $76.5 million deal.

— The Raiders hired Josh McDaniels as coach to replace interim Rich Bisaccia, who helped lead them to the playoffs for just the second time in 19 years. They also acquired star DE Chandler Jones and traded for star WR Davante Adams, who left Aaron Rodgers to reignite his college connection with Derek Carr, his teammate at Fresno State.

— The Broncos changed head coaches, starting quarterbacks and even owners. Rob Walton paid a global sports record $4.65 billion for the franchise and second-year GM George Paton replaced Vic Fangio with rookie head coach Nathaniel Hackett before trading five picks and three players to Seattle for Russell Wilson, their sixth opening day starter in six years.

With the Broncos finally solving their quagmire at quarterback, the AFC West now has perhaps the best group of QBs of any division in the league.

“There's a lot to love there in that division," veteran sportscaster Joe Buck said. “It's easily the best division with easily the best quarterback play.”

It should be more competitive in 2022, too, as the Chargers, Broncos and Raiders try to snap Kansas City's six-year reign atop the division.

The Broncos haven't won the West since 2015. The previous time the Chargers won it was in 2009, and the Raiders' most recent crown came way back in 2002.

OVER HILL?

The Chiefs can't replace Hill's explosive speed, but they did provide Mahomes with plenty of new playmakers to complement TE Travis Kelce. They signed JuJu Smith-Schuster away from Pittsburgh and Marquez Valdes-Scantling away from Green Bay and used a second-round pick on Skyy Moore of Western Michigan.

“We’re going to be different,” Mahomes said, "but I think we’ll still be able to go out there and have a ton of success.”

Maybe, but it's not going to be easy for the Chiefs to host a fifth consecutive AFC championship game. Aside from playing in the toughest division in football, where all four teams have legitimate playoff aspirations, the Chiefs also face the AFC South and NFC West along with the Bills, Buccaneers and Bengals.

FULLY CHARGED

Nobody has had more passing yards, completions and TD throws in his first two years in the NFL than Herbert, and he could take a big leap in production this season now that he's grown more comfortable in the Chargers offense.

“He’s just a lot looser than usual. He’s just a lot more comfortable. When you come in year one, kind of shy, don’t want to talk a lot,” wide receiver Mike Williams said. “But now, he’s taken control and been himself.”

The Chargers' significant defensive upgrades can only help Herbert's burgeoning confidence.

“I’m really excited for this team. I think we are miles ahead of where we were at this point last year,” said Herbert, who threw for a franchise-record 5,014 yards and had nine 300-yard passing games last season.

BUCKING BRONCOS

Wilson is the Broncos' 11th starting quarterback since Peyton Manning retired, and the new transplant has huddled aplenty with the Hall of Famer who still lives in Denver and was a frequent visitor at training camp.

"We've been talking a lot,” Wilson said. “Since I’ve gotten here, he’s kind of taken me under his wing in a beautiful way. (Peyton’s wife) Ashley (Manning) has taken ‘Ci’ (Ciara) under her wing in helping with thoughts, schools, this, that and where to eat.

“The thing that Peyton and I both love is football. We can spend all day watching football together,” Wilson added. “It’s fun to be able to be around arguably the world’s greatest who has ever played the game at that position.”

And one who's been through what Wilson is about to experience.

RAIDERS REDUX

McDaniels gets his second chance as a head coach in the same division where he flamed out in less than two seasons with the Broncos more than a decade ago.

“I feel like I’ve learned a lot,” said McDaniels. “I feel like it’s slowed down for me for sure."

A notoriously creative play-caller, McDaniels gets to direct an offense that features an established QB and one of the game's best pass-catching trios. Adams has averaged 108 catches since 2018, TE Darren Waller is one of the best at his position and slot WR Hunter Renfrow had 103 receptions for 1,038 yards last season.