The Denver Broncos' season had barely ended when it was reported that quarterbacks coach Davis Webb would be getting head coach interviews with the Raiders (his 2nd there) and Bills. For a while now, it's been rumored that Webb is one of the most coveted offensive minds in the league, and the Broncos are very aware of that.
Webb has been instrumental in the development of quarterback Bo Nix, but beyond that, he's worked with some of the best coaches and quarterbacks in the game. Or been their teammate and an asset in the quarterback room.
Although Webb has never called plays in the NFL, teams are getting to hear just how sharp he is when it comes to running an entire operation. And if the Broncos want to prevent him from leaving, specifically leaving for the job with the Las Vegas Raiders, they may have one clear path to keeping him.
Broncos could potentially keep Davis Webb if they would hand over play-calling duties
If the Broncos believe that Davis Webb is someone they simply cannot live without, then they could likely prevent him from taking the head coaching gig with the Raiders, specifically, by giving him play-calling duties and the title of offensive coordinator.
And I say the Raiders, specifically, because the Raiders' job is not an attractive one compared to the Buffalo Bills' job. If Webb is offered the Bills' job, he should probably just take it. That kind of opportunity doesn't come around all that often, and the chance to coach a player like Josh Allen in his early 30s doesn't just plop down in your lap every day.
The big question here is whether or not head coach Sean Payton would give up play-calling duties offensively. That seems highly unlikely, except for the fact that Payton made some interesting comments this year about it, comments that might make you wonder...
"The thing that I have to continue that changes as you get older is you still have to be quick. Play just ran, next play. I said this. When I was younger, we’d run a reverse on the eight-yard line, and I think nothing of it. As you get older, you think about all the ramifications. So I have to also remove that. It was said as you get older, maybe you don’t drive in the rain at night. You begin to… I can’t let that happen as a play caller. That’s something that I have to mentally make sure it’s quick. It’s quick and decisive, and it’s daring at the right time. Not reckless, but those are things that I find that are challenges compared to when I was 33 in New York or whatever."
- Broncos HC Sean Payton (from 1/15/26)
There are some out there who believe that Payton would sooner not be a head coach than give up his play-calling duties. But perhaps he gave us a bit of a glimpse when he allowed Davis Webb to call plays for a preseason game last year.
Payton is a great play designer and he is still a great play caller. That doesn't mean he calls the right plays 100 percent of the time, but he still knows how to scheme against NFL defenses. And his involvement in the game-planning doesn't have to change.
The question would be, during games, can he truly delegate this responsibility to someone else?
It might be his best recruiting tool to keep a coach like Davis Webb from leaving. If not, the risk is there for the Broncos to lose one of their most coveted coaches to a division foe, and watch that coach potentially thrive and be a thorn in your side.
It's going to be fascinating to see what Payton is willing to do (or not) when it comes to keeping his coaching staff intact. As much as he wants to see these guys go off and live their dreams, he might draw the line at seeing them twice a year on a division rival.