Britton Colquitt, the veteran punter so often leaned on during the Broncos’ playoff run last season, was removed from Denver’s roster Tuesday as the team met the NFL’s first deadline for roster cuts.

Colquitt, 31, was the longest-tenured player on the Broncos’ roster. And he saved them and their struggling offense in a run to the Super Bowl.t Against the Patriots in the AFC championship game, Colquitt hit four punts inside the 20-yard line. In the Super Bowl, he helped hold the Panthers to only 2 total yards on three returns.

Denver’s front office decided his cost was too big. Colquitt, 31, was about to begin the final year of a three-year, $11.7 million contract that would have paid him $3.25 million this season (with a $4 million cap hit). When he signed the deal in 2013, Colquitt was the highest-paid punter in the NFL.

But the Broncos drafted Riley Dixon, a first-team all-Atlantic Coast Conference punter from Syracuse, in the seventh round earlier this year. He is on a four-year rookie deal that costs the Broncos only $450,000 this season.

The Broncos asked Colquitt to take a significant pay cut off his 2016 salary. But there is a market for Colquitt’s ability, with several teams needing a punter of his caliber. The Carolina Panthers, for example, traded a 2018 fourth-round pick and punter Kasey Redfern to the Cleveland Browns in a move to upgrade to Andy Lee.

“There are a handful of teams interested,” Colquitt’s agent, Paul Sheey, said. “I’m not worried about that.”

The Broncos put Colquitt and Dixon in a head-to-head competition throughout training camp and the preseason. Dixon, though, was given all of the punting reps in Saturday’s third preseason game, against the Los Angeles Rams.

“It’s cutthroat,” Colquitt said earlier this month of the competition.

Demaryius Thomas, with the Broncos since 2010, is now the longest-tenured player on the team at seven years.

The Broncos also cut wide receiver Bralon Addison and offensive tackle Kyle Roberts, and placed veteran tight end Garrett Graham on the injured reserve list to get down to the mandatory 75-player limit. Related Articles August 29, 2016 Gary Kubiak on the Broncos’ approach to the national anthem: “I don’t babysit guys”

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Quarterback Mark Sanchez and running back Ronnie Hillman, two high-profile players seemingly on the Broncos’ roster bubble, remain with the team.

Roster cuts

The Broncos on Tuesday cut three players from their roster and placed another on injured reserve in order to meet the NFL’s deadline to trim rosters to 75:

Player, pos. … College … Exp. … Transaction

Bralon Addison, WR … Oregon … R … Waived

Britton Colquitt, P … Tennessee … 8 … Released

Garrett Graham, TE … Wisconsin … 7 … Injured reserve

Kyle Roberts, T … Nevada … 1 … Waived