There seems to be a good chance that the Denver Broncos will be looking for a new head coach in 2023. Which candidates make the most sense? I unfortunately do not think that the Broncos will end up digging themselves out of this hole that they are in.
I am low on Nathaniel Hackett and do believe he is getting fired at the end of the season. If they prove me wrong and end up turning the season around, then I’ll be super pleased. However, General Manager George Paton and his staff appear to be headed towards their third head coach in as many years.
They fired Vic Fangio after the 2021 season and hired the former Green Bay Packers’ offensive coordinator. So far, it’s been nothing short of a disaster, and I think the Broncos will have a new head man in 2022. Which candidates make the most sense?
Most logical 2023 head coaching candidates for the Broncos
Frank Reich
Frank Reich is a good head coach and I don’t think roster mismanagement by Indianapolis is his. Chris Ballard, their GM, has no idea what positional value is and doesn’t take calculated risks in free agency.
He neglected parts of the roster which should not be held against Reich. He went 40-33-1 as head coach of the Colts from 2018-2022, having a top ten scoring offense in three of those seasons. He also can build a good staff, as he had Jonathan Gannon, Matt Eberflus, and Nick Sirianni on his staff at once.
He’s also gotten solid production out of veteran quarterbacks, so his chances of succeeding with Russell Wilson seem to be good. Reich isn’t a young, flashy offensive mind, but he’s an adult and good at what he does.
Most logical 2023 head coaching candidates for the Broncos
Dan Quinn
Dan Quinn once took the Atlanta Falcons to the Super Bowl back in 2016 and opened up a 28-3 lead. We all know how that ended. He was also once the defensive coordinator of the Legion of Boom back in the early 2010s days in Seattle.
There is an obvious connection then between Quinn and Russell Wilson. He currently serves as the Cowboys’ defensive coordinator and has done a marvelous job turning their unit around from a low point in 2020. He seems to be widely respected as a coach and did have plenty of head coaching looks last year.
He opted to return to warm weather Dallas, but I think he’ll jump on the right head coaching opportunity this coming year. He also once employed Kyle Shanahan as his offensive coordinator, so perhaps he’d stick with the Shanahan tree if hired for another job.
His 43-42 career record as head coach might not excite many people, but the experience and success he has had is evident. Quinn knows what he’s doing and I think would do everything in his power to ensure the offense had the type of coaching that they needed.
Most logical 2023 head coaching candidates for the Broncos
Leslie Frazier
This candidate might not excite many in Broncos Country, but Frazier is a good coach. He has coached at the NFL level since 1999, so 23 years total. He does have head coaching experience as well from 2010-2013 with the Minnesota Vikings. Their quarterback situation back then was not great, so I don’t hold his lack of success against him.
He’s bounced around several teams as a defensive coordinator and as a secondary/defensive backs’ coach. Most recently, he was brought on to be the Bills’ defensive coordinator from 2017-2019.
Then, in 2020, he was promoted to assistant head coach and defensive coordinator. The Bills have had a solid defense for years, and Frazier is a big reason for that. The 63 year old has been around the block many times, so the biggest thing that would excite me about him being a head coach is the connections he’s made and the staff he’d build.
I think he’d build a phenomenal staff filled with experienced coaches, which is exactly what the Broncos need. He probably would not be the best hire, but I don’t think the Broncos could do much better if he indeed became the team’s next head coach.