Denver Broncos: Brandon Staley leaves for LA Rams

Denver Broncos outside linebackers coach Brandon Staley is taking the vacant defensive coordinator job with the Los Angeles Rams.

It’s usually a good sign if other teams are coveting Denver Broncos assistant coaches for promotions around the league, even if it stings a bit to see guys leave.

The Broncos are reportedly losing outside linebackers coach Brandon Staley to Sean McVay and the Los Angeles Rams, who recently decided to let defensive coordinator Wade Phillips hit the free agent coaching market.

Staley is taking a promotion with the Rams to be their defensive coordinator after Phillips’ contract was not renewed, and he’s been on something of a fast-track in the NFL coaching world over the past three or four years.

After coaching at the collegiate level for a number of years, Staley was hired by the Chicago Bears and Vic Fangio in 2017. He coached the outside linebackers with Chicago from 2017-2018 before he was hired by the Broncos less than a year ago, January 15, 2019.

Staley has worked with all types at the outside linebacker position, including superstars like Von Miller and Khalil Mack, players who were on the cusp of first-round bust status like Leonard Floyd, and plenty of others with guys like Malik Reed who was a stellar find in the 2019 rookie class and veteran Jeremiah Attaochu, who was a street free agent in October needing to get up to speed in the defense rather quickly.

Staley was also a big reason why the Broncos prioritized outside linebacker Justin Hollins in the 2019 NFL Draft.

He apparently pitched the coaching staff and front office on the idea that Hollins — an athletic freak — could help the team not only as an edge player but as a matchup linebacker in coverage with his size and speed.

The Broncos will have to look for another option to coach the outside linebackers, even though Von Miller is probably capable of pushing this unit and already has an unofficial role of ‘player/coach’ in my eyes.

Miller sets an example everyone at his position should follow, but who is going to coach this unit now?

The popular idea is obviously going to be DeMarcus Ware, though Ware may not want the life of an NFL position coach on a full-time basis. He has worked with the Broncos in his post-playing days, but he’s got a family and seems to be enjoying retirement.

You never know, though.

Otherwise, the Broncos will have to look to the free agent market for a new outside linebackers coach with Staley getting a great opportunity to coach up the defense out in Los Angeles.