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Denver Broncos News & Rumors

Broncos Still Eyeing Packers Assistants, Request DC Interview With Anthony Weaver

January 29th, 2022 at 4:13pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Broncos have gone through a few offensive coordinators since Gary Kubiak‘s departure, and their pursuit of landing Nathaniel Hackett‘s first OC has run into some interesting hiccups.

After the Packers denied the Broncos permission to speak with Adam Stenavich for their OC gig, Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel adds the team also sought a meeting with Green Bay wide receivers coach Jason Vrable. That interview will not happen, either, per Silverstein, who indicates tight ends coach Justin Outten is on Denver’s radar. Vrable is believed to be under contract. QBs coach Luke Getsy — a Broncos HC interviewee and Bears OC target — is believed to be a coaching free agent, per Denver7’s Troy Renck (on Twitter).

Hackett appears intent on bringing a Packers assistant to Denver. While that makes sense ahead of Hackett’s effort to install his offense, it is interesting how far down the chain the new Broncos HC will go to fill his coordinator spot. Outside candidates would make sense at a point, and the Broncos are planning to interview Chargers tight ends coach Kevin Koger for the OC job. Koger, 32, spent the 2019 and ’20 seasons as a quality control staffer with the Packers but has only been a position coach for one season.

Additionally, the Broncos sent out a defensive coordinator interview request for Ravens D-line coach Anthony Weaver, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Weaver interviewed for the Baltimore DC job that went to Mike Macdonald, who is returning to the Ravens from Michigan. Weaver, 41, spent the 2020 season as the Texans’ DC. He also worked with Hackett in Buffalo, with the two each assistants on Doug Marrone‘s Bills staff in 2013.

Broncos Eyeing Kevin Koger For OC

January 29th, 2022 at 12:37pm CST by Ben Levine

Chargers tight ends coach Kevin Koger is turning into a popular name on the OC circuit, and it sounds like the coach got another interview. According to Troy Renck of Denver7 (via Twitter), the Broncos will ask to interview Chargers tight ends coach Kevin Koger for their OC vacancy.

Koger is plenty familiar with new Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett. Koger was the Packers offensive quality control coach in 2019 and 2020, with Hackett serving as OC. The 32-year-old spent the 2021 season in Los Angeles, where he served as the Chargers tight ends coach.

Koger was previously connected to the OC vacancy in Green Bay that opened when Hackett left for Denver. Even if the coach doesn’t land a promotion, interviews at this juncture of his career certainly reveal a positive view of the young assistant.

Per Renck, Hackett could also consider adding a passing-game coordinator to his staff. Either way, the new HC will be the one calling plays.

Packers Denying Broncos’ Interview Request With Adam Stenavich

January 28th, 2022 at 7:11pm CST by Adam La Rose

An interesting update has been made with regards to the Packers’ and Broncos’ new-look coaching staffs. Green Bay is reportedly blocking offensive line coach Adam Stenavich from interviewing to join Nathaniel Hackett in Denver (Twitter link via 9News’ Mike Klis).

Stenavich was named as a top candidate for the Broncos’ OC role yesterday. The 38-year-old has spent the last three seasons in Green Bay, so it would make perfect sense if he was the preferred choice for Hackett. That would especially be true, given Stenavich’s relative inexperience, considering the fact that Hackett will be handling play-calling duties.

However, the news that Stenavich will not be interviewing in Denver suggests that he is in the running to get promoted to the OC position in Green Bay. Indeed, The Athletic’s Jason Wilde tweets that HC Matt LaFleur has publicly stated he would never block a position coach from leaving for a promotion – which all coaches have recently been prohibited from doing anyway. As such, he adds, “this points to Stenavich being told that he’ll be Hackett’s replacement”.

The other main in-house option for the Packers, when it comes to the OC role, is quarterbacks coach Luke Getsy. Externally, the candidates linked to the job so far are Chargers tight ends coach Kevin Koger and Eagles QB coach Brian Johnson. Today’s news, though, certainly signals that those three are not being considered favorites for the job as of now.

Packers Interview Bolts’ Kevin Koger For OC Job, Plan To Meet With Eagles’ Brian Johnson

January 28th, 2022 at 2:32pm CST by Sam Robinson

After three years with Nathaniel Hackett as Matt LaFleur‘s right-hand man on offense, the Packers must find a replacement. A day after Hackett became the Broncos’ head coach, they are interviewing external candidates.

The Packers have interviewed Chargers tight ends coach Kevin Koger for their offensive coordinator job, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets Eagles quarterbacks coach Brian Johnson is expected to interview as well. The team is still considering in-house staffers Luke Getsy (QBs coach) and Adam Stenavich (offensive line) for Hackett’s old job.

Koger is just 32 but was with the Packers for two years. The former Michigan tight end worked as a quality control staffer in Green Bay from 2019-20. The Chargers hired him as their tight ends coach last year. Koger would be an unlikely fit, based on his experience, at this point. That said, the Broncos also plan to meet with Koger about their OC vacancy, Rapoport adds (via Twitter). Interviews at this juncture of Koger’s career certainly reveal a positive view of the young assistant.

Johnson, 34, has only been an NFL assistant for one season, coming to Philadelphia in 2021. But he was a college offensive coordinator at three schools — Utah, Houston and Florida — and landed his first OC gig when he was just 25. Johnson oversaw the Gators’ offense in 2020, helping Kyle Pitts break through to become the highest-drafted tight end in the common draft era.

Getsy and Stenavich have each drawn outside OC interest. The Broncos are expected to interview Stenavich for their OC gig, while the Bears are targeting Getsy — to the point an offer is expected — for their play-calling gig under Matt Eberflus. Green Bay’s OC role does not come with play-calling responsibilities, with LaFleur performing that role.

Broncos Eyeing Rams’ Ejiro Evero, Packers’ Adam Stenavich For Coordinator Jobs

January 27th, 2022 at 4:41pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Broncos’ past two HC hires placed less emphasis on their defensive coordinator position, but the team hiring former Packers offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett will make that a more important position. The new Denver coach has a DC candidate in mind early.

Rams passing-game coordinator Ejiro Evero is the early leader to become the Broncos’ DC, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Hackett and Evero are close friends, Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post notes (via Twitter), having played collegiately at UC Davis together.

Evero, 41, has been on each of Sean McVay‘s five Rams staffs, moving from the team’s safeties coach to his current role last year. Ahead of Hackett’s final Packers season, the team interviewed Evero for the DC job that went to Joe Barry. But Evero, an NFL staffer since 2007, appears poised to be a strong contender for Denver’s DC job. It would be a “big upset” if Evero does not land the job, Mike Klis of 9News tweets.

Evero would have big shoes to fill leading Denver’s defense. While Vic Fangio could not lead the Broncos to the playoffs, he is one of this era’s top defensive coordinators. The Broncos ranked in the top 10 in points allowed and total defense in 2021. Evero did work under former Fangio assistant Brandon Staley during the latter’s season as Rams DC, potentially helping with continuity in Denver.

Additionally, the Broncos are expected to request an interview with Packers offensive line coach Adam Stenavich for their offensive coordinator role, Rapoport adds. Stenavich, 38, worked with Hackett on Matt LaFleur‘s Packers staffs for the past three seasons, having been on Kyle Shanahan‘s first two 49ers staffs — as San Francisco’s assistant O-line coach — before that. Stenavich and previous Broncos OC Rich Scangarello were on Shanahan’s staff together from 2017-18. Hackett is expected to be a play-calling head coach, which the Broncos have not had since Gary Kubiak‘s tenure.

Jaguars Interview Vic Fangio For Head Coach

January 27th, 2022 at 11:45am CST by Adam La Rose

While the head coaching headlines have been dominated by the two hires made this morning, another interesting piece of news has come out. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports (via Twitter) that Vic Fangio has interviewed with the Jaguars for their HC vacancy. 

This is the first time Fangio’s name is being mentioned as a HC candidate. He was fired after the Broncos’ regular season ended. His three year tenure didn’t include a return to the postseason, or even an end to the streak of what has now become five consecutive losing seasons.

While his first HC stint was certainly unsuccessful, Fangio has DC roles with five different teams on his resume. That background certainly differs from the comparative lack of experience that Urban Meyer had at the NFL level prior to his disastrous time in Duval County.

Things may change very soon with respect to the Jag’s HC search, but for now, here’s where things stand:

 

Broncos Hire Nathaniel Hackett As Head Coach

January 27th, 2022 at 8:02am CST by Adam La Rose

The first domino has fallen in the 2022 head coaching hiring cycle. The Broncos have hired Nathaniel Hackett as their new head coach, as first reported by Tom Pelissero of NFL Network (Twitter link). 

Hackett, 42 has been the offensive coordinator in Green Bay since 2019. While he hasn’t handled play-calling duties during that time, he is credited to a large degree with the high level of play QB Aaron Rodgers has sustained well into his thirties, and the Packers’ three-straight 13-win seasons.

Prior to his time in Green Bay, he had established himself as one of the best young offensive minds in the league during stints in Buffalo and Jacksonville. He interviewed with the Jaguars once already, and had a second meeting scheduled for today. That sped up the hiring process for Broncos general manager George Paton, who “stepped in Wednesday night to get a deal done”, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Hackett will take on a HC role for the first time in his career, both at the college and NFL levels. Meanwhile, he marks the fourth coach hired by Denver since 2016, a stretch that includes five consecutive losing seasons. The offense-based background for Hackett represents a departure from that of the recently-fired Vic Fangio, as well as Dan Quinn, the Cowboys’ DC who has been the hottest name in this year’s hiring cycle and was a finalist for this job.

For the Packers, QB coach Luke Getsy, who also interviewed in Denver, is the favorite to take over as their OC. Meanwhile, this news strengthens the case for Byron Leftwich to get the Jacksonville gig.

Here’s how Denver’s HC search ended up looking:

Be sure to check in on our Head Coach Search Tracker for all the latest updates as more vacancies begin to be filled.

Latest On Broncos’ HC Search

January 24th, 2022 at 11:56am CST by Adam La Rose

A bit more clarity has emerged with regards to the finalists for the Broncos’ head coaching position. In an update on Good Morning Football, NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport reported that the job will come down to three candidates: Dan Quinn, Kevin O’Connell and Nathaniel Hackett. 

[Related: Broncos Down To “A Few” HC Finalists]

Quinn was the only coach listed by name as a frontrunner when it was reported yesterday that the search was coming down to a small number of candidates. The current Cowboys defensive coordinator has been linked to six of the seven HC vacancies this year, which should presumably give him multiple options to consider.

O’Connell was among the first set of interview requests the Broncos made following Vic Fangio‘s dismissal. In two years as the offensive coordinator for the Rams, the 36-year-old has been impressive. The unit’s 2021 numbers are down slightly due injuries hampering the running game, but he has overseen Matt Stafford‘s first year in L.A., which included Cooper Kupp‘s incredible production. O’Connell has also been linked to the open positions in Houston and Minnesota.

Hackett represents another offensive-minded candidate, something which would differ from the defense-oriented Fangio and Quinn. He has been an offensive coordinator in Buffalo, Jacksonville and, most recently, Green Bay. In three seasons there, he has helped the team win 13 games each time, including a highly efficient year in 2020. The Bears, Jaguars and Vikings have also interviewed the 42-year-old.

According to 9News’ Mike Klis, Quinn is coming to the Broncos’ headquarters sometime this week (Twitter link). The other two are expected to also interview in person, although nothing has been officially scheduled yet. Be sure to check in on our HC Search Tracker for the latest updates.

 

Updated 2022 NFL Draft Order

January 24th, 2022 at 8:55am CST by Adam La Rose

The Divisional Round has come to end, and after each game was decided on the final play, the season has come to a bitter end for another four teams. That brings the total number of squads locked into their first round draft position to 28. Interestingly, the Rams and 49ers are still standing after they each parted ways with top draft picks this past offseason. San Francisco’s first choice is currently slated to be 61st overall, while the Rams aren’t projected to be on the board until the 101st pick. For Los Angeles in particular, the decision is certainly paying off so far.

For non-playoff teams, the draft order is determined by the inverted 2021 standings, plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule. For playoff teams, the order is determined by their postseason outcome and regular season record.

Here is the updated order after this weekend’s results:

  1. Jacksonville Jaguars: 3-14
  2. Detroit Lions: 3-13-1
  3. Houston Texans: 4-13
  4. New York Jets: 4-13
  5. New York Giants: 4-13
  6. Carolina Panthers: 5-12
  7. New York Giants(via Bears)
  8. Atlanta Falcons: 7-10
  9. Denver Broncos: 7-10
  10. New York Jets (via Seahawks)
  11. Washington Football Team: 7-10
  12. Minnesota Vikings: 8-9
  13. Cleveland Browns: 8-9
  14. Baltimore Ravens: 8-9
  15. Philadelphia Eagles (via Dolphins)
  16. Philadelphia Eagles (via Colts)
  17. Los Angeles Chargers: 9-8
  18. New Orleans Saints: 9-8
  19. Philadelphia Eagles: 9-8
  20. Pittsburgh Steelers: 9-7-1
  21. New England Patriots: 10-7
  22. Las Vegas Raiders: 10-7
  23. Arizona Cardinals: 11-6
  24. Dallas Cowboys: 12-5
  25. Buffalo Bills: 11-6
  26. Tennessee Titans: 12-5
  27. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 13-4
  28. Green Bay Packers: 13-4
  29. Cincinnati Bengals: 10-7*
  30. Miami Dolphins (via 49ers)
  31. Detroit Lions (via Rams)
  32. Kansas City Chiefs: 12-5*

* = Remaining playoff teams

Broncos Down To “A Few” HC Finalists

January 23rd, 2022 at 5:15pm CST by Zachary Links

The Broncos could be on the verge of naming their next head coach. Broncos GM George Paton has narrowed his search to just “a few” candidates, according to ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler (Twitter link). It’s not clear who the finalists are, but many around the league believe that Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn is among the frontrunners. 

To date, the Broncos have interviewed at least ten candidates for their head coaching vacancy:

Quinn, 51, has become a consistent presence in this cycle, popping up with six of the seven clubs looking for a head coach. Beyond the Broncos, the Bears, Jaguars, Dolphins, Vikings, and Giants have had him in their sights. Quinn surely has his own shortlist of favorites, one that might exclude the Jaguars since he declined to interview with them during the season. Meanwhile, the Giants job could hold extra appeal for him since he grew up in nearby Orange, NJ.

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