Broncos Interview Ronald Curry For OC
Joe Lombardi is out as Sean Payton‘s non-play-calling OC, and while Davis Webb represents a natural promotion candidate, he remains coveted by teams for roles with more responsibility. Webb remains in the Raiders’ HC race, and the Broncos’ QBs coach is being sought by multiple teams as a play-calling option.
Payton calls the Broncos’ plays, and barring a scenario in which Webb needs to be given the call sheet to be convinced to stay in Denver, that is expected to continue. Payton has begun his second OC search with the Broncos, as the Denver Post’s Parker Gabriel reports the team has interviewed ex-Saints staffer Ronald Curry. The former NFL wide receiver spent the past two seasons as the Bills’ QBs coach.
The Broncos interviewed Curry for the job that went to Lombardi in 2023. Payton conducted a thin OC search during his first year at the helm, only interviewing Curry and Lombardi. The Rooney Rule requires teams to interview at least one external minority candidate for OC and DC positions. Because Curry is Black, the Broncos are Rooney Rule-compliant.
It would stand to reason a Webb promotion will be strongly considered, and Gabriel confirms he is a strong candidate for the role. But the Broncos are only one of the interested teams. Webb has met twice about the Raiders’ HC job, and the Giants and Ravens have sent him OC interview requests. Webb also met about the Bills’ HC job, which went to Joe Brady earlier this week. Some in the Broncos’ organization believe it will be difficult for the team to retain Webb long term with Payton calling plays, per ESPN.com’s Jeff Legwold. The coming days will put that to a test, as Denver’s QBs coach has seen his stock skyrocket during his three-year tenure.
While Webb has helped mentor Bo Nix, Curry’s first season as Bills QBs coach produced a Josh Allen MVP award. Considering that season came after the Stefon Diggs trade, the honor reflects well on Brady and Curry. The latter interviewed for the Jets’ OC position this week but has otherwise not been connected to any OC jobs since being hired by the Bills.
Curry, 46, was a college quarterback who spent eight seasons as an NFL wideout. He has extensive experience with Payton as well. The Saints employed Curry from 2016-23, with the ex-player rising to QBs coach by Payton’s final season (2021). Coaching New Orleans’ receivers before that, Curry stayed on as QBs coach under Dennis Allen from 2022-23. He interviewed for the New Orleans OC gig — which went to Klint Kubiak — in 2024, moving to Buffalo to work under ex-Saints coworker Brady soon after. Brady being promoted to HC could keep Curry in Buffalo, but that may not be a certainty just yet. For now, he is up for multiple OC positions.
Ravens Submit Jim Leonhard DC Interview Request
Jim Leonhard remains a popular defensive coordinator candidate in the 2026 cycle. The Ravens are the latest team to seek an interview in his case. 
Baltimore has requested a defensive coordinator interview with Leonhard, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. That makes him the second staffer to receive a slip from the Ravens. Leonhard, who has been on the Broncos’ staff for the past two years, played for the Ravens in 2008.
Shortly after his playing career came to an end, Leonhard turned his attention to coaching. That began with eight years at the college level, including a lengthy run as Wisconsin’s defensive coordinator. The 43-year-old joined Sean Payton‘s staff in Denver in 2024 as a defensive backs coach and pass-game coordinator. This past season, Leonhard took on the role of assistant head coach.
A strong campaign in that capacity has resulted in widespread DC interest. Leonhard has already interviewed with the Cowboys, Chargers and Jets for their D-coordinator positions. All three have since been filled, but Baltimore could represent another opportunity on that front. The Ravens’ defense has been led by Zach Orr for the past two years, but since John Harbaugh‘s firing he has loomed as a candidate to depart. Baltimore has also requested an interview with Joe Cullen as a potential Orr replacement.
In other Ravens staffing news, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports longtime assistant Randy Brown will be staying in place. Brown arrived in Baltimore alongside Harbaugh in 2008 and has been a key figure on special teams ever since. Several staffers either have followed Harbaugh to the Giants or remain a candidate to do so. Brown’s lengthy tenure in Baltimore will nevertheless continue under new head coach Jesse Minter.
Bo Nix Expected To Return By OTAs
While a blinding snowstorm ground the AFC championship game to a halt, the Broncos’ offense largely struggled in a 10-7 loss to the Patriots. A “what if?” component loomed after Bo Nix suffered a fractured ankle late in Denver’s divisional-round win over Buffalo, as the Broncos were unable to reach Super Bowl LX with Jarrett Stidham at the helm.
Stidham could be needed for some more QB1 reps in a few months, as Nix rehabs from ankle surgery. But it is quite possible the Broncos’ two-year starter returns for OTAs. Sean Payton said (via the Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson) Nix’s surgery went well, and the three-year Denver HC expects his top quarterback to be ready by the time OTAs begin in late May, per 9News’ Mike Klis. This recovery timeline matches up with a weekend assessment from ESPN’s Adam Schefter, who pegged a 12-week rehab timetable.
Nix suffered a broken ankle on a designed run during the Broncos’ game-winning overtime drive against the Bills. Payton quickly ruled him out for the season postgame. Although Nix had not missed an NFL game due to injury and holds the record for most Division I-FBS starts by a QB (61), he has experienced ankle trouble at multiple points in the past. Nix has undergone two prior surgeries on his injured ankle, Payton said, adding his QB
“What was found was a condition that was predisposed where they always find a little bit more when they go in and it wasn’t a matter of if, it was a matter of when,’’ Payton said of Nix suffering an ankle injury. “When you look at the play, the surgeon said this was going to happen sooner than later.”
This would certainly invite questions about Nix’s durability moving forward. The Broncos have used the former Auburn and Oregon signal-caller as a runner frequently; he carried the ball a season-high 12 times against the Bills and 83 times during the regular season. Nix attempted 92 runs as a rookie.
Neither Payton nor CEO Greg Penner expressed any reservations Nix would become a health risk, with the latter indicating (via the Denver Post’s Troy Renck) he has “zero concerns” about the QB’s ankle being a recurring health issue moving forward. Schefter also indicated doctors are not concerned about Nix’s ankle trouble long term. This break occurred in a different spot compared to two prior breaks — one in high school and another in college. Still, ankle issues are piling up for the passer.
Playing well in the Broncos’ biggest games this season, Nix has now undergone two ankle surgeries since entering the NFL. He also dealt with a transverse process fracture in his back. The previous ankle surgery — performed after last season — addressed an issue that nagged the QB at the Combine and during his rookie slate. It is obviously notable a more serious ankle malady occurred to end his second NFL season, and it will be worth monitoring moving forward in Denver. Stidham’s two-year, $12MM contract runs through the 2026 season.
The Broncos are entering a pivotal offseason, as they will be able to build a roster around Nix’s rookie contract without the constraints the Russell Wilson dead cap albatross brought. Wilson’s $84.6MM dead money charge was spread over the 2024 and ’25 Broncos payrolls, but it is now off the books. After Nix established himself as a promising starter over the past two years, 2027 extension talks will be expected. His health in 2026, however, will be a chapter to follow ahead of that point.
Chargers Request DC Interview With Broncos’ Jim Leonhard
As they continue searching for a successor to former defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, the Chargers have requested an interview with Broncos assistant head coach/pass game coordinator Jim Leonhard, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
If Leonhard interviews with the Chargers, he’ll become the seventh candidate to discuss their D-coordinator position since Minter became the Ravens’ head coach on Jan. 22. Minter earned a promotion after two stellar years in Los Angeles. Under his leadership, the Chargers’ defense finished top 10 in the NFL in scoring twice in a row, including No. 1 in 2024, and fifth in yards allowed in 2025.
Leonhard doesn’t have any professional experience as a coordinator, but he held the role at Wisconsin from 2017-22. Since leaving the college ranks, the former NFL defensive back has garnered two years’ experience on Denver’s staff. He began as the Broncos’ defensive backs coach and pass game coordinator in 2024.
While the Broncos ranked a below-average 19th in pass defense a season ago, cornerback Patrick Surtain II earned Defensive Player of the Year honors on Leonhard’s watch. The Broncos improved to seventh against the pass in 2025, but they couldn’t get past the Patriots in the AFC title game despite holding quarterback Drake Maye to 86 yards in inclement weather.
With the Broncos’ season over, Leonhard could head elsewhere for a promotion in the coming days. The 43-year-old interviewed with the Cowboys and Jets for defensive coordinator earlier this month, though Dallas has since filled its job with the hiring of Christian Parker. The Bills are also expected to pursue Leonhard, but they haven’t requested an interview yet.
Here’s a look at where the Chargers’ DC search stands:
- Steve Clinkscale, defensive backs coach (Chargers): Interviewed 1/26
- Adam Fuller, safeties coach (Chargers): Interviewed 1/26
- Jim Leonhard, defensive backs coach (Broncos): Interview requested
- Zach Orr, defensive coordinator (Ravens): Interviewed 1/23
- Aubrey Pleasant, pass-game coordinator (Rams): Interviewed 1/24
- Dylan Roney, outside linebackers coach (Chargers): Interviewed 1/26
- Dennard Wilson, former defensive coordinator (Titans): Interviewed 1/23
Broncos Fire OC Joe Lombardi
A day after their season ended with a 10-7 loss to the Patriots in the AFC title game, the Broncos have fired offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports.
This closes out a three-year tenure in Denver for Lombardi and ends a long-running partnership with head coach Sean Payton. Lombardi previously coached under Payton in New Orleans from 2007-13 and 2016-20. He was the Saints’ quarterbacks coach for the majority of his 12 years with the team.
[RELATED: Three Teams Send Davis Webb OC Interview Requests]
Also a former NFL offensive coordinator with the Lions (2014-15) and Chargers (2021-22), Lombardi took on a non-play-calling role in Denver. Payton has continued to handle those duties. The Broncos did not rank among the league’s cream-of-the-crop offenses in any seasons with Lombardi on the staff, though, and Payton has decided to make a change heading into the third year of quarterback Bo Nix‘s career.
The Broncos are coming off a season in which they finished a respectable 10th in yards, but they were closer to middle of the pack in scoring (14th). Losing running back J.K. Dobbins to a season-ending Lisfranc injury in mid-November didn’t help matters.
Over 10 games and 153 carries, Dobbins hummed along on 5.0 yards per attempt. Second-round rookie RJ Harvey stepped in as the Broncos’ primary back after Dobbins’ injury, but despite notching seven rushing touchdowns, he averaged a meager 3.7 yards on 146 tries. Harvey’s production went backward in the postseason, a pair of games in which he ran for just 57 yards on 19 carries.
Thanks largely to a premier defense that led the league in sacks, the Broncos went 14-3, ended the Chiefs’ nine-year run atop the AFC West and earned the No. 1 seed in the conference. The Broncos then got past the Bills in a 33-30 overtime shootout in the divisional round, but Nix suffered a season-ending ankle injury late in the game.
With Nix out of commission, the Broncos had to turn to backup Jarrett Stidham as their starter against the Patriots. Stidham looked good early and completed a 52-yard first-quarter pass to Marvin Mims that set up a touchdown, but the Broncos didn’t score again after that. On a day in which the weather dramatically swung during a snowy second half, Stidham went 17 of 31 for 133 yards, a TD, an interception and a costly fumble. The Broncos amassed just 181 total yards.
Had Nix been available Sunday, there’s a good chance the Broncos would be preparing to face the Seahawks in Super Bowl LX. Instead, though, the Broncos are done for the year and shaking up their coaching staff. More changes could be in store, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, who mentions the possibility of the Broncos eventually promoting pass game coordinator and quarterbacks coach Davis Webb to replace Lombardi. For now, Webb is a candidate to become the Raiders’ next head coach. They interviewed Webb for the second time on Monday.
NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/27/26
Tuesday’s reserve/futures contracts in the NFL:
Chicago Bears
Denver Broncos
Bills Expected To Pursue Broncos’ Jim Leonhard For Defensive Coordinator
Although the Bills fired head coach Sean McDermott after another disappointing postseason defeat, they didn’t venture outside the building for his replacement. The Bills promoted offensive coordinator Joe Brady on Tuesday, though it doesn’t appear he’s content to run it back with McDermott’s staff.
Bobby Babich has been the Bills’ defensive coordinator since 2024, but his job is now in serious jeopardy. Broncos assistant head coach and defensive pass game coordinator Jim Leonhard is expected to emerge as a leading candidate for the Bills’ D-coordinator role, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports. The Bills may become the fourth team this offseason to pursue Leonhard for that position.
Leonhard, 43, interviewed with the Cowboys and Jets earlier this month. The Cowboys have since hired Christian Parker, but the Jets’ gig is still available. Leonhard was also reportedly a finalist to become the Giants’ defensive coordinator before they hired Dennard Wilson.
An NFL defensive back from 2005-14, Leonhard spent a decent chunk of his career in Buffalo, where he played from 2005-07 and again in 2013. He went into coaching at his alma mater, Wisconsin, in 2016. Leonhard’s first (and only) experience as a defensive coordinator came with the Badgers from 2017-22. He also led the Badgers to a 4-3 record as an interim head coach in 2022, but he left after they hired Luke Fickell for the full-time post.
After Leonhard spent a year as a senior football analyst at Illinois, Broncos head coach Sean Payton offered him his first NFL coaching opportunity. Leonhard was the Broncos’ defensive backs coach and pass game coordinator in 2024, when cornerback Patrick Surtain II earned Defensive Player of the Year honors. The Broncos are now coming off a season in which they finished with the league’s seventh-ranked pass defense, earned the No. 1 seed in the AFC and advanced to the conference title game. Although the Broncos’ pass defense allowed just 86 yards to MVP candidate Drake Maye on a snowy Sunday, injured quarterback Bo Nix‘s absence proved too much to overcome in a 10-7 loss.
With Denver’s season over, Payton may soon have to replace Leonhard. If Leonhard returns to Buffalo as a coach, he’d grab the reins of a defense that ranked first against the pass, seventh in yards, 12th in scoring and 15th in takeaways in 2025. Those are solid to great numbers, but the Bills will need to repair a porous run defense and an unspectacular pass rush. Only four teams allowed more yards on the ground than the Bills, who finished a below-average 19th in sacks.
The Bills’ lack of pressure on Nix proved costly in a 33-30 loss to Denver in the divisional round. After failing to sack Nix in an elimination game, the Bills could turn to one of the Broncos’ coaches to lead their defense in 2026.
Philip Rivers Withdraws From Bills’ HC Search; Team To Interview Davis Webb
Philip Rivers did well in his recent head coaching interview with the Bills. It will not result in him being hired, however. 
The longtime NFL quarterback has withdrawn from consideration in Buffalo’s search, as first reported by Dianna Russini of The Athletic. As recently as yesterday, the Bills were reported to be giving “serious consideration” to a Rivers hire despite his lack of coaching experience. Instead, both parties will move in a different direction.
Once the regular season ended, Rivers confirmed his three-game cameo with the Colts late in the year represented his final action as a player. The potential for head coaching interest was immediately raised, although Buffalo is the only team which has interviewed him so far. Provided that remains the case, Rivers will likely return to coaching his eldest son’s high school team for the 2026 season.
The 44-year-old has coached at the high school level for four years. He has never held a position on any NCAA or NFL staff, something which would have made a head coaching hire a rather noteworthy one. Rivers’ football IQ and leadership qualities played a key role in his success as a player, and they could easily translate into a coaching career. Interest in his case during future hiring cycles will be something to watch for.
The Bills, meanwhile, will proceed with their search for Sean McDermott‘s replacement. A number of outside candidates have spoken with the team so far, while offensive coordinator Joe Brady looms as an option to be promoted to head coach. Buffalo was linked yesterday to interest in Davis Webb, who is currently in place with the Broncos but spent part of his playing career as a teammate of Josh Allen with the Bills.
Webb immediately turned his attention to coaching once his playing career ended following the 2022 season. He was a member of Sean Payton‘s initial Broncos staff in 2023, serving as the team’s quarterbacks coach. In 2025, the 31-year-old had pass-game coordinator added to his title. With the Broncos’ season having ended yesterday, Webb and his colleagues are free to speak with interested teams as the HC carousel continues to spin. Per Russini, Webb will indeed meet with the Bills this morning.
In the wake of today’s updates, here is where the Bills now stand:
- Lou Anarumo, defensive coordinator (Colts): Interviewed 1/22
- Joe Brady, offensive coordinator (Bills): Interviewed 1/21
- Brian Daboll, former head coach (Giants): Interviewed 1/22; prefers Buffalo gig
- Klint Kubiak, offensive coordinator (Seahawks): Rumored candidate
- Anthony Lynn, run-game coordinator (Commanders): Interviewed 1/24
- Mike McDaniel, former head coach (Dolphins): To interview 1/23; withdrew from search
- Philip Rivers, former NFL quarterback: Interviewed 1/23; withdrew from search
- Grant Udinski, offensive coordinator (Jaguars): Interviewed 1/25
- Anthony Weaver, defensive coordinator (Dolphins): Interviewed 1/24
- Davis Webb, quarterbacks coach (Broncos): To interview 1/26
NFL Reserve/Futures Contracts: 1/26/26
Today’s reserve/futures deals:
Denver Broncos
- LB Levelle Bailey, TE Caleb Lohner, DT Jordan Miller, RB Cody Schrader, G Calvin Throckmorton, RB Deuce Vaughn
Kansas City Chiefs
Los Angeles Rams
- OT A.J. Arcuri, WR Tru Edwards, DB Tanner Ingle, DB Cam Lampkin, OT Dylan McMahon, LB Eli Neal, DT Bill Norton, WR Brennan Presley, TE Mark Redman, WR Tyler Scott
John Franklin-Myers, J.K. Dobbins, Alex Singleton Want To Re-Sign With Broncos
Although the Broncos endured some bad luck via the untimely Bo Nix injury, they took care of some key offseason matters early. Denver extended Courtland Sutton, Zach Allen and Nik Bonitto ahead of their contract years before agreeing on deals with Luke Wattenberg, Malcolm Roach and Wil Lutz in-season.
This does not leave many notable free agents for the AFC runner-ups, but there are a few. John Franklin-Myers, Alex Singleton and J.K. Dobbins are unsigned for 2026. While the Broncos are set to finally see Russell Wilson‘s contract come off their books, the team did make a few notable contract decisions over the past several months. That will certainly influence how they proceed in free agency.
Franklin-Myers, Singleton and Dobbins each want to re-sign with the team. Singleton confirmed this (via the Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson), while Franklin-Myers indicated he wants to stay but confirmed the team still has not made him an offer to stay, Tomasson adds. Dobbins expressed interest in a second Broncos contract just before his season-ending Lisfranc injury and reiterated a desire to stay in Denver (via Guerilla Sports’ Brandon Krisztal). Denver is projected to hold more than $27MM in cap space.
It would appear Franklin-Myers is weeks away from signing elsewhere. We have heard for months he was unlikely to fit into the team’s 2026 plans. The Broncos added him in what amounted to a salary-dump trade with the Jets during the 2024 draft. Denver then worked out a renegotiated contract (two years, $15MM) that eclipsed New York’s pay-cut offer. Franklin-Myers became an immediate starter as a 3-4 defensive end, totaling 14.5 sacks and 33 QB hits over the past two seasons.
The Broncos may not have made an offer, but ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler notes the team would “love” to retain the veteran inside rusher. Though, extensive free agency interest is expected to form for a player who has not previously hit the market. Franklin-Myers, 29, was a Jets waiver claim (after the Rams cut him) who then signed a New York extension. Two years remained on that deal when he redid it to facilitate the trade to Denver. He has vaulted into a strong position after two productive Broncos seasons, with Fowler labeling him this year’s top D-tackle free agent.
Sheldon Rankins, Jalen Redmond, Shelby Harris and D.J. Reader are close to the market, but Franklin-Myers will command the most money. Although the Broncos agreed to re-sign D.J. Jones just before free agency last year, their deals with he, Allen and Roach — to go with extensions for Bonitto and Jonathon Cooper — will make it tough to fit another Franklin-Myers pact into the budget.
Denver will have a decision to make on Dre Greenlaw soon. Greenlaw’s 49ers injury trouble led to a deal without any 2026 guarantees at signing. The Broncos can escape the injury-prone linebacker’s contract for $6MM in savings by cutting him before a $2MM guarantee triggers on Day 5 of the 2026 league year. A Greenlaw release could clear a path for Singleton, a four-year Broncos starter who played out a three-year, $18MM contract.
Singleton, however, is now 32; the Broncos also had issues with their linebackers in coverage. The team has LB regular Justin Strnad entering free agency once again as well. A new-look LB corps could be on tap for the Broncos in 2026. Singleton completed a recovery from testicular cancer surgery to return to his starting post soon after the diagnosis. Pro Football Focus rated the ex-Eagle as one of the season’s best run-defending LBs, ranking him 26th overall at the position.
Dobbins’ latest injury will make it difficult for him to command too much, as maladies continue to define his career. While the former Ravens and Chargers starter played well when available, he missed nine games counting the two playoff absences. Dobbins said he was “very close” to being activated off IR, but it had long been reported a Super Bowl return represented the best-case scenario.
Denver certainly missed its starter, who still finished the season with a team-high 772 rushing yards. This came after a career-best 905 with the Chargers, but Dobbins has now missed 55 regular-season games since being a 2020 second-round pick. The Broncos have RJ Harvey signed through 2028, while they can retain Jaleel McLaughlin as an RFA. Dobbins, 27, could be a target to return on another one-year, low-cost deal. But the Broncos also may want to aim for more security as they look to pair Harvey with another starter-level option in 2026.