The Tampa Bay Buccaneers' punting situation was unsettled for much of the 2024 season. The Buccaneers believe they are now settled for the next two seasons after signing Riley Dixon, who has consistently produced strong punting numbers throughout his nine seasons in the league.
Dixon has spent the past two seasons in Denver, back where his NFL career began in 2016. In 2024, he posted a 46.7-yard gross punting average and a 42.0 net punting average on 77 kicks. It was the seventh time in nine seasons that Dixon has finished with a net average above 40 yards. Tampa Bay's net punting average last season was 37.4, which ranked second-to-last in the NFL.
The Buccaneers used three different punters in 2024, beginning with 2022 draft pick Jake Camarda. Camarda handled those duties in the first three games and in Six but was inactive for three other games before being released in Week Eight. He was replaced by former Chicago Bears punter Trenton Gill, who had already appeared in the three games in which Camarda was active. In all, Gill took over the punting responsiblities for eight games before being replaced by undrafted rookie Jack Browning, who held the job for the last six weeks plus the playoffs. None of the three finished with a net average of 39 or better.
Dixon was originally a seventh-round draft pick by the Broncos in 2016 after he played his college ball at Syracuse. He beat out veteran Britton Colquitt for the job as a rookie and made the All-Rookie Team on the strength of a 45.7-yard gross average and a 41.3-yard net. He played two seasons in Denver before being traded to the New York Giants for a conditional seventh-round draft pick in 2018. After four seasons with the Giants and one with the Los Angeles Rams, Dixon returned to Denver in 2023.
Overall, he has appeared in 148 regular season games and has punted 668 times for 30,687 yards, producing a career gross average of 45.9 yards and a career net of 40.9. He has also placed 231 of his punts (34.6%) inside the 20, as compared to just 42 touchbacks.
View images of P Riley Dixon, the newest member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
New York Giants punter Riley Dixon (9) before an NFL football game against the San Francisco 49ers, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Los Angeles Rams punter Riley Dixon (11) punts during an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Chargers, Sunday, Jan. 1, 2023, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)
Denver Broncos punter Riley Dixon (9) stands during the National Anthem before an NFL football game against the New Orleans Saints, Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Tyler Kaufman)
Denver Broncos punter Riley Dixon (19) against the Los Angeles Rams of an NFL football game Saturday, Aug 26, 2023, in Denver. (AP Photo/Bart Young)
Denver Broncos place kicker Wil Lutz (3) kicks a field goal from the hold of punter Riley Dixon (9) during the first half of an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals in Cincinnati, Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Denver Broncos punter Riley Dixon (9) warms up before an NFL football game Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Denver Broncos punter Riley Dixon looks on before an NFL football game against the New York Jets Sunday, Oct. 8, 2023, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)
Denver Broncos punter Riley Dixon punts against the Las Vegas Raiders during an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 10, 2023, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)
Denver Broncos punter Riley Dixon (9) in the first half of an NFL football game in Empower Field at Mile High Sunday, Dec. 24, 2023, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Los Angeles Rams punter Riley Dixon (11) punts the ball during an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams, Sunday, Nov. 13, 2022, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)
Denver Broncos punter Riley Dixon look on against the Los Angeles Rams during a preseason NFL football game Saturday, Aug. 26, 2023, in Denver. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)
Denver Broncos punter Riley Dixon (19) warms up before an NFL preseason football game Saturday, Aug. 26, 2023, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Los Angeles Rams punter Riley Dixon (11) punts before an NFL football game against the Carolina Panthers Sunday, Oct. 16, 2022, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)
Punter (11) Riley Dixon of the Los Angeles Rams stands for the National Anthem before playing against the Dallas Cowboys in an NFL football game, Sunday, Oct. 9, 2022, in Inglewood, Calif. Cowboys won 22-10. (AP Photo/Jeff Lewis)
Denver Broncos punter Riley Dixon (19) warms up before an NFL preseason football game Saturday, Aug. 26, 2023, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Punter (11) Riley Dixon of the Los Angeles Rams punts against the San Francisco 49ers in an NFL football game, Monday, Oct. 3, 2022, in Santa Clara, Calif. 49ers won 24-9. (AP Photo/Jeff Lewis)
New York Giants punter Riley Dixon (9) in action against the New England Patriots during an NFL preseason football game, Sunday, Aug. 29, 2021, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
New York Giants punter Riley Dixon stands on the sidelines against the Seattle Seahawks in an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 6, 2020, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Larry Maurer)
New York Giants punter Riley Dixon (9) runs off the field during an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Sunday, Nov. 28, 2021, in East Rutherford, N.J. The New York Giants defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 13-7. (AP Photo/Steve Luciano)
Los Angeles Rams punter Riley Dixon (11) puns the ball during an NFL preseason NFL football game against the Houston Texans, Friday, Aug. 19, 2022, in Inglewood, Calif. (Ben Liebenberg via AP)
New York Giants punter Riley Dixon (9) walks on to the field before an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Sunday, Dec. 29, 2019, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
New York Giants punter Riley Dixon (9) in action during an NFL football game against the New Orleans Saints, Sunday, Oct. 3, 2021, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Tyler Kaufman)
New York Giants punter Riley Dixon (9) looks on before an NFL football game against the Las Vegas Raiders, Sunday, Nov. 7, 2021, in East Rutherford. N.J. The New York Giants defeated the Las Vegas Raiders 23-16. (AP Photo/Steve Luciano)
New York Giants punter Riley Dixon (9) punts during an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2020, in Inglewood, Calif. Rams won 17-9. (Ben Liebenberg via AP)
New York Giants punter Riley Dixon (9) warms up before an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals, Sunday, Dec. 13, 2020, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
