3 moves the Denver Broncos clearly got wrong in 2023

You don't want to knock any teeth out with a knee-jerk reaction after just two games, but there are clearly some areas the Denver Broncos made mistakes over the course of the 2023 offseason as things currently stand. The Broncos have started the 2023 season 0-2 after close losses to both the Las Vegas Raiders and Washington Commanders.

With the way this team's schedule lines up from here on out, it's hard not to think things could go south in a hurry for the Broncos. So what got us to this point? Why are the Broncos in such rough shape after only two games?

Let's take a look at three of the moves this team made over the last six or seven months that most significantly contributed to the team starting off 0-2.

1. Hiring Vance Joseph is looking like it was a last resort

You don't want to make any sweeping assumptions after just two games but some of the worst fears fans in Broncos Country expressed about hiring Vance Joseph over other prospective candidates have been realized. Many in Broncos Country were not eager to welcome Joseph back for another stint with the team after the way things went from 2017-18 when Joseph was the Broncos' head coach. With that being said, the combination of Joseph coming in and the Broncos obviously preferring at least one other candidate leads me to believe this was more of a last resort move than anything else.

The initial rumor regarding Sean Payton coming back to the NFL was that he wanted Vic Fangio as his defensive coordinator. Obviously, when Payton took the Denver job, he tried to twist Vic's arm to get him to come back to Denver but Fangio ultimately decided not to do it.

Payton then interviewed a host of other candidates for the position after Ejiro Evero decided to leave Denver for Carolina as well. Whether it was not doing enough to sway Fangio or Evero to be with the Broncos in 2023, or not choosing Rex Ryan, one way or another it looks like the Denver Broncos made a mistake bringing back Vance Joseph. The defense has been abysmal through two weeks, giving up way too many big plays, committing way too many untimely penalties, and allowing way too many extended drives.