After their epic battle in the Divisional Round of the playoffs, the Buffalo Bills might be trying to exact a measure of revenge against the Denver Broncos.
Although there's no possibility of exacting revenge on the field at this point, the Bills might be trying to steal one of the Broncos' top assistant coaches for Joe Brady's new staff. Defensive backs coach and pass game coordinator Jim Leonhard has interviewed for multiple of the top defensive coordinator jobs around the league (Green Bay, Dallas), and is reportedly a coveted candidate now in Buffalo.
The writing appears to be on the wall for Leonhard's departure from Denver, and taking the coordinator job in Buffalo makes a ton of sense.
Broncos could lose Jim Leonhard to Buffalo Bills defensive coordinator job
Sources: Broncos defensive pass coordinator Jim Leonhard is expected to be a leading candidate to become the next defensive coordinator for the Buffalo Bills. pic.twitter.com/LuWD0G4u3a
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 27, 2026
The Broncos losing Jim Leonhard from their defensive staff would undoubtedly be a big blow, but there's also reason to look at it in a positive light.
The idea of losing Leonhard to the Buffalo Bills could very well mean that Vance Joseph is returning to the Broncos as their defensive coordinator. It looks like other teams with head coach vacancies are settling on non-Joseph candidates, even the Arizona Cardinals, who know Joseph very well from his time there as defensive coordinator.
It could also mean that the Broncos are closing in on keeping Davis Webb as well.
The thinking, from some, has been that if Davis Webb would take a head coaching job with a team like the Raiders, then he would take Leonhard with him as his new defensive coordinator. Perhaps they were not always going to be a package deal, but it would make sense for them to go together.
Otherwise, what would Webb's options be at defensive coordinator at this point? If it's not someone you know, it had better be a "head coach" on that side of the ball. And who else would be out there for him to pick from at this point?
Maybe there are more options than immediately come to mind, and nothing is off the table right now, but for the time being, it feels like the coaching changes we have feared for the Broncos this offseason are all hanging in limbo.
The Bills hired a Sean Payton disciple -- Joe Brady -- as their newest head coach. Payton had Brady on his staff with the Saints when he was still in his mid-20s, fresh off of being a graduate assistant with Penn State. And to that point, perhaps we should have a little bit more faith in the alternatives for the Broncos if they do end up losing assistant coaches who have gained strong reputations around the league.