Going through the list of former Denver Broncos on the team’s upcoming 2023 NFL schedule, I was not surprised to see names on over 10 teams. That’s just what happens when a team struggles for so long: you find yourselves noticing names of players that didn’t work out for your team but were good enough to latch on with another team.
Sadly, it’s been far too long for the Broncos and the playoffs, so things have had to change over the years.
On this list is not every single player or coach who was previously with the Broncos. I did omit a couple of names. I just decided to include some notable ones, starting with a team who has some of the most former members of the Broncos: The Miami Dolphins.
Old friends the Denver Broncos will face in 2023
Dolphins: Vic Fangio, Butch Barry, Eric Studesville, Renaldo Hill, Wes Welker, Bradley Chubb, Malik Reed
It’s a reunion of a mixture of good and bad for the Denver Broncos-Miami Dolphins matchup as the Broncos head to Miami to face former head coach Vic Fangio, offensive line coach Butch Barry, running backs coach Eric Studesville, and tight ends coach Wade Harman.
Like Nathaniel Hackett, Vic Fangio just did not cut it as a head coach and is one of several first-time head coaches the team has tried to make work since firing Mike Shanahan all the way back in 2008. In three seasons, Fangio went 19-30 as the team’s head coach and failed to find the team’s next quarterback.
Butch Barry was the team’s offensive line coach last season, regretfully. The team had one of the worst offensive lines in the entire league, which was part of the reason for Russell Wilson’s terrible 2022 season. It got to the point where the players applauded the firing of Barry, who was then hired by the Miami Dolphins, for some reason.
His style of offering criticisms without correction didn't go over well here.
— Benjamin Allbright (@AllbrightNFL) February 8, 2023
Left notes in lockers instead of in-person communication.
Multiple players here suggested he didn't seem to know what he was doing.
Replacing Munchak was gonna be difficult for anyone, but... https://t.co/AS6CIZQATd
Eric Studesville is currently the associate head coach/running backs coach for the Dolphins. He spent seven years (2010-2016) with the Broncos, serving as the team’s running backs coach, as well as interim head coach and offensive coordinator/running backs coach during parts of his tenure due to coach firings (Josh McDaniels in 2010).
In Denver, Studesville coached guys such as Willis McGahee, Knowshon Moreno, C.J. Anderson, and Ronnie Hillman.
Since he was let go by the Broncos after the 2015 season, he has served as the Dolphins’ running backs coach, run game coordinator, co-offensive coordinator, and associate head coach.
Renaldo Hill is a former Broncos safety from 2009-2010, his final two seasons as a player in the NFL. He had four interceptions, defended 10 passes, caused two forced fumbles and recovered another during his time as a player for Denver. Hill had 122 combined tackles in two years with the team.
Hill transitioned to coaching in 2013 at Wyoming as their cornerbacks coach and returned to the Broncos from 2019-2020 as their defensive backs coach.
Wes Welker was a true legend as a slot receiver in the NFL for the Patriots, Chargers and Dolphins before joining the Broncos in 2013. The combination of Welker and Peyton Manning was a fun one to watch, as Welker had 122 receptions for 1,242 yards and 12 touchdowns. Ten of those touchdowns came in his first season with the team.
Welker was a great complementary wide receiver to guys such as Demaryius Thomas and Eric Decker, as well as tight end Julius Thomas.
Miami acquired outside linebacker Bradley Chubb in a trade that saw the Broncos bring in a first-round draft pick. You can thank that first-round pick for the acquisition of Sean Payton. The Broncos sent several draft picks to the New Orleans Saints to make Payton their head coach.
Miami signed former Broncos outside linebacker Malik Reed, who the Broncos traded to the Steelers last August.