ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- NFL coaches preach all summer about keeping the best 53 players on the roster. Sometimes, however, money gets in the way and decisions are made based as much on payroll as performance.The Broncos could pay the price this season for one such move.Rookie Riley Dixon shanked an 18-yard punt in Denvers final preseason tuneup at Arizona on Thursday night, just two days after the Broncos handed him the job by releasing seven-year incumbent Britton Colquitt, the franchises all-time leader in both gross and net punting average.Dixons strong leg and work ethic may make that miscue nothing more than a blip, but it also highlights the dangers of going with youth over experience.Dixons wobbler led to a touchdown. He also was the holder when Brandon McManus missed a 46-yard field goal in Denvers loss to the Cardinals.Coach Gary Kubiak called Dixon a young kid whos done a lot of good things and has a bright future, but added, weve got to be better.Kubiak said that seventh-round draft pick from Syracuse was experimenting on a punt that special teams coordinator Joe DeCamillis has been working on with him when he shanked the 18-yarder.Obviously, it didnt work out very good, Kubiak said. So, put that on us coaches.Put Colquitts departure on the front office.Colquitt was due $3.25 million this season and Dixon is making $450,000.So, the Broncos asked Colquitt to take a pay cut like he did last season.Colquitt, who helped the Broncos become champs by pinning four punts inside the Patriots 20-yard line in the AFC championship and helped hold Carolina to 2 yards on three returns in the Super Bowl, declined, and that was the end of his stay in Denver.The Broncos released the longest-tenured player on their roster Tuesday even though that leaves them with two specialists who are NFL novices in Dixon and long-snapper Casey Kreiter, who will be on his first 53-man roster when final cuts are turned into the league on Saturday.McManus is a third-year pro who set an NFL record by making all 10 of his field goal attempts in the playoffs when Colquitt was his holder and Aaron Brewer his long-snapper.Points proved precious last season when the Broncos won 11 close games on their way to the title. And with two quarterbacks who have never thrown an NFL pass in Trevor Siemian and Paxton Lynch, the Broncos cannot afford to give up field position or miss field goals when games count for more than conversation.The Broncos kick off the NFL season Thursday night against the Carolina Panthers, whom they beat 24-10 in the Super Bowl.MORE CUTS: Kubiak and GM John Elway huddled Friday to trim 22 more names from the roster and theres a distinct possibility that all eight of Elways draft picks this year will make the club, an astonishing feat for a Super Bowl champion.The biggest question mark surrounded QB Mark Sanchez, who was beaten out by Trevor Siemian and didnt play in the final two preseason games. Lynch played the entire preseason finale and the Broncos would like him to be the No. 2 QB so he can take lots of snaps in practice.That makes Sanchez an expensive No. 3 at $4.5 million. If the Broncos cut Sanchez, theyll save $3.5 million and a seventh-round draft pick.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and AP NFL Twitter feed: www.twitter.com/AP-NFL---Follow AP Pro Football Writer Arnie Melendrez Stapleton on Twitter: http://twitter.com/arniestapleton Wholesale Jerseys 2018 . Halladay signed a one-day contract with the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday that allowed the veteran right-hander to retire as a member of team with which he broke into the majors and spent the bulk of his distinguished 16-year career. MLB Jerseys 2018 From China Online . Murray beat Sam Querrey 7-6 (5), 6-7 (3), 6-1, 6-3 to clinch Britains opening-round victory against the United States on Sunday at Petco Park. "Im proud of the way Im playing just now, because I had to do a lot of work to get back to where I want to be," Murray said after celebrating with his teammates on the red clay court in a temporary stadium in left field of the downtown home of baseballs San Diego Padres. http://www.chinajerseyswholesalecheap.com/ . - Blake Griffin had 30 points and 12 rebounds, J. NFL Jerseys 2018 . The 15th-ranked Canadian men lost the opening two games of their European tour: 19-15 to No. 17 Georgia and 21-20 to No. Cheap MLB Jerseys . Murray beat Sam Querrey 7-6 (5), 6-7 (3), 6-1, 6-3 to clinch Britains opening-round victory against the United States on Sunday at Petco Park. "Im proud of the way Im playing just now, because I had to do a lot of work to get back to where I want to be," Murray said after celebrating with his teammates on the red clay court in a temporary stadium in left field of the downtown home of baseballs San Diego Padres. LAHAINA, Hawaii -- Dillon Brooks came up short with a chance to win the game in regulation. Given another shot, he wasnt going to miss.Brooks hit a long 3-pointer with 22 seconds left in overtime and scored 17 points, lifting No. 13 Oregon to a 69-65 victory over Tennessee at the Maui Invitational on Tuesday.I knew I had to redeem myself, Brooks said.Oregon (3-2) shot poorly in a loss to Georgetown in its Maui opener and continued to struggle on Day 2. The Ducks shot 34 percent, including 5 of 17 from 3-point range, and had 21 turnovers.But they have Brooks.The preseason All-American was limited eight points in 13 minutes in his return Monday night, leaving him frustrated. Ducks coach Dana Altman gave his star more playing time and Brooks delivered, hitting 4 of 9 shots and 7 of 10 free throws in 25 minutes.Brooks has been his best when the games on the line and came through when Oregon needed him in Maui -- after failing at the end of regulation.The junior guard missed an open shot in the late at the buzzer, but pulled up without hesitation in overtime. Brooks drained that shot from well behind the arc, then grabbed a defensive rebound after the Vols missed before being fouled.On the way to hitting 1 of 2 game-sealing free throws, Brooks high-fived ESPN announced Bill Walton and yelled: Come on Bill!I thought he was going to drive it, Altman said of Brooks game-winner. When he pulled it up, it was one of those no, no, great shot.Tennessee (1-3), which lost to No. 16 Wisconsin in its tournament opener, struggled against the Ducks constant defensive pressure.The Vols had 25 turnovers and shot 37 percent, though managed to keep the Ducks within reach. Shembari Philips hit two free throws with 30 seconds left in regulation, but Tennessee could not come up with the big shot it needed in overtime.Detrick Mostella led Tennessee with 22 points.I keep saying I really like our team, Tennessee coach Rick Barnes said. We keep getting better and better each time out, certainly coming here and playing against the level of competition is proving that our guys can compete.dddddddddddd And now weve got to learn to win gamesOregon had a disappointing tournament opener, digging a 17-point first-half hole before a furious second-half rally fell short.The Ducks slow-started the second game as well, missing their first six 3-pointers and 10 of 13 shots overall.Tennessee stumbled out of the gate in its opener as well and did it again in the Day 2 early game, opening 3 for 16 to keep Oregon in it.Both teams started hit a few shots and were tied at 32-all by halftime.It got worse for the Vols to start the second half.Sped up by Oregons pressure defense, they threw balls out of balls and missed shots from all over the court. Tennessee had nine turnovers in the opening 8 1/2 minutes and missed eight of its first nine shots to fall behind 45-42.Despite Tennessees struggles, the Ducks could not pull away. Oregon had its own issues with turnovers and missed shots, so was unable to push the lead past single digits.We didnt come out of the locker room with the kind of energy we needed, Barnes said. We fought back. We kept our poise even when wed been down.BIG PICTURETennessee has a ways to go on both on both ends of the floor if its going to be competitive once the SEC season starts.Oregon won ugly and is still trying to find its groove with Brooks back. Getting a game-winning shot by their best player could be the spark the Ducks need.MISSING VOLSThe Vols played without point guard Jordan Bone, who was limited to seven minutes in the opener due to a foot injury. Power forward Admiral Schofield also was out due to unspecified reasons.UP NEXTOregon will face the winner between UConn and Chaminade in Wednesdays fifth-place game.Tennessee faces UConn-Chaminade loser in the seventh-place game. ' ' '