3 teams Vic Fangio could land with if the Broncos move on

The Denver Broncos could make a move at the head coach position, but Vic Fangio certainly won’t lack options. Here’s who he could land with.

The Denver Broncos’ 2021 season is now officially over after the team’s latest loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. The attention now turns to general manager George Paton, who has a huge decision to make regarding head coach Vic Fangio.

It’s well-documented at this point that the Broncos and Paton like Vic Fangio, but at this point, how could they really justify keeping him for a fourth season?

Prior to the 2021 campaign, it seemed as though this was a “playoffs or bust” type of season for Fangio, and of course, the Broncos did not make the playoffs. When asked what set the other teams in the AFC West apart from the Broncos over the last three seasons (in which the Broncos went 2-10), Fangio immediately stated that those other teams have “top-shelf” quarterbacks.

It’s no secret that the Broncos have not had consistent or good quarterback play since Vic Fangio was hired. As I have previously written, part of that is on Fangio, part of it is on those in charge of building the roster.

After the Broncos’ loss to the Chiefs, here’s what Fangio had to say about his future:

Fangio seems to understand as well as anyone that if his future is not as the head coach of the Denver Broncos, he will undoubtedly be the head coach somewhere.

Fangio would have teams lining up to hire him as their defensive coordinator, there is no doubt about it. Which teams would be most likely to get him?

Let’s take a look at the top three.

Where could Vic Fangio land if he’s out as Denver Broncos HC?

1. Las Vegas Raiders (Jim Harbaugh)

The Las Vegas Raiders are obviously a team in transition.

Jon Gruden stepped down as head coach of the team earlier this year and interim head coach Rich Bisaccia has actually done a pretty great job in his stead.

Even though many feel like Bisaccia deserves a fair shot to be the permanent head coach beyond this season, I don’t know that the Raiders would pass on the chance to potentially hire Jim Harbaugh as their new head coach and pair him up with Fangio as defensive coordinator.

Yes, there is Jim Harbaugh-to-the-NFL buzz building again. It certainly could be a ploy on Harbaugh’s end to get a massive contract extension from Michigan, or it could also potentially be legit.

We know Mark Davis will spare no expense, and the Raiders could be a great fit for Harbaugh.

If Harbaugh does jump on board with the Raiders, Fangio is a very logical candidate to join him as defensive coordinator. Remember, these two had an outstanding working relationship at Stanford and with the San Francisco 49ers from 2010-2014.

If the Broncos decide to move on from Vic Fangio, the Raiders, or wherever Jim Harbaugh might land (he’s also rumored to be interested in the Bears, potentially) make the most sense.

2. Dallas Cowboys

It seems like Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn is poised to be one of the more coveted head coach candidates in this year’s circuit.

Interestingly enough, there doesn’t appear to be a ton of competition as only the Jaguars and Raiders currently have openings, and it seems like the Bears and Broncos are two of a short list of teams that could soon join them. It seems like there are usually far more openings, so the Broncos might be fortunate in that regard with less competition for candidates.

Quinn, for what it’s worth, might be a great candidate to replace Vic Fangio in Denver, and Fangio might be a great candidate to replace Quinn in Dallas.

Quinn has helped resurrect a Dallas defense that had been a huge problem in recent years, and they have been one of the best units in the league this season.

It would seem like a natural replacement for the Cowboys to bring in a respected coordinator like Fangio to utilize their young playmakers and keep that defense in the top five moving forward.

If the Broncos let Fangio go, the Cowboys make a lot of sense.

3. Los Angeles Rams

The Los Angeles Rams love to make big splash moves every offseason. Sean McVay hiring Vic Fangio would surprise absolutely no one.

The Rams have been one of the best teams in the NFL this season, but their defense has gone from number one in the league in points allowed to number 15 this year as they have transitioned from Brandon Staley to Raheem Morris.

Although there is something to be said for continuity, bringing back that same scheme that Staley implemented in 2020 with Vic Fangio — the godfather of the scheme himself — running it?

That would probably intrigue McVay.

The Rams won’t settle for anything less than the best. We’ve seen time and time again — whether it’s going after veteran coaches or players, they are willing to pay just about any price to make upgrades in the offseason, and hiring Fangio would be par for the course for them.

5 Denver Broncos players who could follow Vic Fangio if he’s let go

The Denver Broncos have a number of key free agents on the defensive side of the ball. If Vic Fangio is let go, who could follow him to his next spot?

I think if we see the Broncos move on from Fangio, a pairing in Los Angeles with Sean McVay might be one of the likeliest options.