ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- The Denver Broncos want many more happy returns from their special teams units than they’ve had in recent seasons, and rookie wide receiver Kalif Raymond will get the first audition to try to make that happen.

Raymond, who was signed as an undrafted rookie largely because of his potential as a kickoff and punt returner, will be the primary returner for the Broncos in their preseason opener against the Chicago Bears on Thursday night in Soldier Field. Raymond, perhaps a longshot when training camp opened, has caught the collective eye of the Broncos' decision-makers.

"My expectations are to look at Kalif extensively," Broncos coach Gary Kubiak said. " ... He's looked really good in practice, I want to see him handle the ball, that's what I plan on doing."

Raymond returned two kickoffs and one punt for touchdowns in his career at Holy Cross. He and fellow undrafted rookie Bralon Addison have used the first two weeks of training camp to work their way into the conversation.

It isn't the first time the Broncos have been in search of impact in the return game. In fact, it's been a rite of summer given that the Broncos have not had a player finish among the top 10 in the league in punt return in the same year they’ve made the playoffs dating back to 1999. They have had three players finish in the top 10 in kickoff return average in a season they’ve also made the playoffs, but only once (Trindon Holliday in 2013) since the start of the 2004 season.

In short, the Broncos have left a lot of potential field position unclaimed.

This time around the two rookies -- Raymond and Addison -- find themselves technically behind Jordan Norwood on the depth chart at both kickoff and punt returner. But Kubiak has said he wants to use the preseason opener to look at many players at a variety of positions.

That means Raymond is first up, and special teams coordinator Joe DiCamillis said he wants to see how the returners handle their business in a game situation.

"Production, you want to see his return mechanics, if he has good ball security, catches the ball well and makes good decisions, that's really important," DiCamillis said. "There are other guys we want to look at, too. Addison is going to be out there. We've got some other guys that we are going to try to look at, too. It's going to be important for all of those young guys."

The Broncos would prefer not to keep a specialist as strictly a returner because that would cost them a roster spot they might want to use elsewhere. No matter what Raymond, Addison and Norwood show as a returner, whoever wins the job will have to show they can contribute on offense.

Raymond has made progress in that respect. During a recent training camp practice when Kubiak held Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders out for a rest day, Raymond made some plays at receiver, which immediately enhanced his roster value.

"I am getting more comfortable and am starting to learn in concepts," Raymond said of the Broncos' offense. "Once that gets down, you can go out there, play and worry about football. You're not thinking, 'OK, what do I have on this play.' That's what's come a little bit easier ... I've gotten a little bit more into the groove of playing within myself instead of thinking so much."