As the Denver Broncos head coaching search slowly nears its end, I take a look at what coach would benefit quarterback Drew Lock the most.
I have lightly touched on this idea before, but I think it’s safe to say that Drew Lock will be on the Denver Broncos to begin the 2022 season. Even if the team lands a quality veteran, I would still think that Lock makes the most sense to serve as the backup.
Since he’s still on his rookie contract, the Broncos probably won’t be able to find a backup for nearly as cheap as Lock currently is. Secondly, if they do, he’d be a very, very low-end backup.
The other side of this is that it’s very possible the Broncos do not land a high-end veteran quarterback, which would really leave the team with only two other options: sign a mid-tier veteran in the Andy Dalton range or draft a rookie.
In both scenarios, Lock should realistically get a chance to compete for the starting job, and I’ve been able to conclude that some within Broncos Country still believe he should be given that chance.
So, which of the head coaching candidates that the Denver Broncos have currently interviewed would benefit Drew Lock the most?
Dan Quinn seems to be the most likely candidate for a head coaching position, but I do not think he would help Lock the most as a head coach.
What we can fairly assume is that, if hired, Quinn would probably want an offensive coordinator within or close to the Shanahan tree.
Ok, that sounds great, right? Not so fast. The unfortunate part here is that young, offensive coordinators turned head coaches are the newest fad in the NFL.
Just think for a moment; if Dan Quinn is hired and he brings a young mind to serve as the offensive coordinator, what happens to that coordinator if the Denver Broncos turn into an efficient offensive team? It’s likely that he’d interview and perhaps land a head coaching position.
The benefit of hiring an offensive-minded head coach is that you don’t have to worry about them leaving for another head coaching position unless they get fired, which defeats the entire purpose here.
For example, let’s say Nathaniel Hackett was hired as head coach of the Denver Broncos. He would get to install the offensive system he wants to run and would get multiple years to try and get the team back to relevance.
The team isn’t going to have to worry about Hackett jumping ship for another gig. The most they’d have to prepare for is if one of his own assistants gets poached for a promotion.
It does make the most sense, not just for Drew Lock, but for the entire offense if an offensive-minded head coach is hired.
I think Hackett tops my list. His success goes beyond Green Bay, as he was the offensive coordinator in 2017 for the Jacksonville Jaguars when they somehow managed to get themselves to the AFC Championship game.
The Jaguars were 5th in the NFL in scoring.
Another offensive coach that I think would be great for the Broncos’ offense and Drew Lock is Kellen Moore of the Dallas Cowboys. Moore is just 33 years old and would be a very risky hire for the Broncos.
However, while only being a coach since 2018, Moore has left his mark. He started as the quarterbacks coach for the Dallas Cowboys in 2018 and became their offensive coordinator in 2019, a role in which he currently serves.
He has helped Dak Prescott grow into an elite passer, and the Cowboys’ offense has been the best in the NFL the past two seasons.
Moore may need another year or two as a coordinator, but it’s clear that he’s seen success.
If the Broncos want sustained success on offense, and if they want to get the last bit of Drew Lock, it’s in their best interest to hire an offensive-minded head coach. Honestly, I think any of the offensive coaches interviewed would make a decent head coach.
3 head coach candidates the Denver Broncos should still consider
The Denver Broncos have a list of 10 head coach candidates already, but should they consider adding to that list with more guys?
My two favorites are Nathaniel Hackett and Kellen Moore, however. I think they have the strongest record so far.