3 difficult decisions Broncos will need to make this offseason

3. Do you stick with Vance Joseph?

Sean Payton is going to have to decide if he wants to stick with defensive coordinator Vance Joseph or not this offseason.

This is not an easy decision at all, because Joseph's defense was arguably the worst in franchise history through the first five weeks of the season, then became a force to be reckoned with for about eight weeks, then regressed again in the final month or so of the season.

It wasn't a straightforward year to evaluate for Payton, and that makes this an interesting predicament overall. There is value in continuity, and we saw what Joseph's defense was capable of doing when it was at its best during that stretch in the middle of the season. There were few defenses getting the job done as well as Denver's throughout that timeframe.

Then there are questions about whether or not this team's defensive deficiencies last year were purley due to personnel, or whether they were due to scheme. If you determine it was more personnel-based, then you might be able to say that Joseph's defense will have a higher floor in 2024 than it did in 2023.

And I would personally err on that side. It wasn't a good enough job in 2023 overall, but it's hard to blame Joseph with the cards he was dealt. And the progression on that side of the ball after a horrendous start was eye-opening. With so many major coaching changes happening around the league, are the realistic alternatives better than continuity? That might be the question to ask at this point.