Vance Joseph is back in Denver as the Denver Broncos' defensive coordinator. Sean Payton continues to fill out his coaching staff, but perhaps no hire made will be more widely discussed than this one. Joseph was hired in Denver as the team's head coach back in 2017 over the likes of Kyle Shanahan. Predictably, things did not go well as the Broncos attempted to shoe-horn Paxton Lynch into the lineup for a year with Trevor Siemian as the incumbent, then throwing Case Keenum out as the starter for all of 2018.
Vance Joseph never stood a chance, did he? But, he didn't burn any bridges in Denver and has now been welcomed back by the new regime led by Sean Payton after four years with the Arizona Cardinals in a defensive coordinator role. Joseph is still not well-liked by many members of Broncos Country because of how the team played when he was the head coach, but he'll have a chance now to be part of some winning ways in Denver after all.
With four years in Arizona, Joseph has worked with a lot of new players who might be able to help the Denver Broncos moving forward. Could his connections come into play in 2023 NFL free agency? Here's a look at three players that could follow Vance Joseph to the Denver Broncos in 2023.
Players that could follow Vance Joseph to the Denver Broncos
1. Shaquil Barrett, EDGE, Buccaneers
Let's not get too far ahead of ourselves, here. This one may be a complete longshot to happen, but is it impossible? It's not.
Shaquil Barrett was originally picked up by the Denver Broncos as an undrafted free agent out of Colorado State once upon a time. He got his first shot at real playing time when Vance Joseph became the head coach in 2017 and he was on the field for 67 percent of the defensive snaps. That number drastically decreased in 2018 when the Broncos drafted Bradley Chubb, and Barrett left in free agency to go play for the Buccaneers in 2019.
There, he became one of the truly dominant edge players in the league and a Super Bowl champion (again). How could the Denver Broncos bring Barrett back in 2023? Well, the Buccaneers are primed to potentially blow up their roster. They could save over $14 million against the 2023 salary cap if they designate Barrett as a post-June 1 release. That may not be the first spot they look to save money, but it's within the realm of possibilities.
Barrett is coming off of a torn Achilles. He will turn 31 in November. The Broncos would probably love to have his presence coming off the edge along with some of the other young players they have and perhaps his career arc will come full-circle.
2. Zach Allen, defensive line
The Denver Broncos are in need of defensive line help in the 2023 offseason. Vance Joseph has overseen the development of Zach Allen in Arizona over the last handful of years, and Allen has developed into one of the top free agents available in 2023.
Back in 2019, Joseph's first year with the Arizona Cardinals, they drafted Allen out of Boston College with the 65th overall pick, the top pick of the third round. Allen was certainly not much of an immediate impact player, playing in just four games in his rookie season. But he found his footing by year three in the NFL, racking up 14 total QB hits and four sacks along with 18 total pressures.
This past season, he put forth the best year of his career with 5.5 sacks, 20 QB hits, and 25 total pressures. He became a disruptive force for the Cardinals under Vance Joseph and it stands to reason that he would be a strong candidate to follow Joseph to the Denver Broncos.
This may be contingent upon whether or not Dre'Mont Jones returns to the Broncos, however. I'm sure the Broncos would like to keep their own 2019 third-round pick in the fold (although George Paton didn't draft him) given how much he has progressed in recent years. Perhaps the price to sign Zach Allen will be more favorable to the team, or perhaps the Broncos could find a way to bring both guys in.
3. Byron Murphy, cornerback
Another top free agent on the Arizona Cardinals this offseason is cornerback Byron Murphy, who was once the top pick of the second round in the 2019 NFL Draft. The Cardinals could end up overhauling their defensive personnel entirely under new head coach Jonathan Gannon and defensive coordinator Nick Rallis. Not that they're going to purge the roster of every good player, but coming off of a season in which he played just nine games, Murphy probably isn't getting the franchise tag.
Coming to Denver to play for Vance Joseph and rehab his value on a short-term deal? That sounds like a pretty great situation for all involved. The Broncos would have to make the decision to move on from veteran Ronald Darby, who has had injury issues of his own throughout his NFL career, but they would save over $9 million from cutting Darby and could very well use those savings in 2023 to add a player like Murphy.
The former Washington star had four interceptions in 2021 when he was fully healthy and has played a significant role for Vance Joseph since he was drafted to the NFL. Unless his price is other-worldly this offseason (and you never know when it comes to NFL free agency), this is the kind of player you might consider signing to a two-year deal worth $28 million or so
The Broncos had Damarri Mathis break out in a big way as a rookie, so maybe they are going to go into the 2023 offseason more confident in his abilities. The team could also make more of a splash at safety than cornerback when you think about the injury recovery of Caden Sterns and the impending departure of Kareem Jackson.
Those positions will be addressed, but having good cornerbacks is a non-negotiable. The Broncos could keep Mathis on the outside, play Murphy in the slot, and have one of the best young cornerback trios in the league.