As the Broncos prepare for their bye week this week, their own coaches might have some extra work on their plate. The Broncos do not yet know who they play in the Divisional Round, but they sure know how good their coaching staff is. The only issue with that, however, is that the rest of the league is beginning to catch on.
The Broncos have multiple head coaching candidates on their staff, and could also lose key position coaches to coordinator gigs. Around the league, there are currently five head coaching vacancies, with the potential for more to open throughout the week. As more coaching openings pop up, the more likely the Broncos are to lose parts of their staff to promotions across the league.
A few Broncos specifically figure to be in line for several interviews, and they could begin happening as soon as this week. NFL teams are not allowed to interview coaches of playoff teams during game weeks, but the Broncos' coaches could be interviewed this week since they are on the bye. Three Broncos specifically figure to get coaching interviews and could quickly find their way to well-deserved promotions elsewhere.
These three Broncos coaches could interview for promotions this week
3. Davis Webb, Quarterbacks Coach
Davis Webb is going to be a hot name in offensive coordinator circles and might even find himself getting head coach interviews. For the position coach of a quarterback who gets as much unwarranted hate as Bo Nix, Webb sure seems to be a hot name around the league. He could very easily be promoted in Denver to keep him around, but that might require a level of restructuring of Denver's offensive staff, specifically with Joe Lombardi.
2. Jim Leonhard, Defensive Backs Coach
Jim Leonhard, much like Webb, is a hot name among position coaches. The Broncos' defensive backfield has been absurd this season, and effectively has no weak spots. Most notably, he has helped get Talanoa Hufanga's career back on track and was the position coach for Pat Surtain's Defensive Player of the Year campaign. He is the most obvious and reasonable selection to be Denver's defensive coordinator if Vance Joseph departs for a head coaching gig.
1. Vance Joseph, Defensive Coordinator
Joseph is one of the most frequently mentioned head coaching candidates in football, and it is well deserved. Joseph has resurrected his career after a disasterous tenure in his lone stint as a head coach and a fairly bland run as the Cardinals' defensive coordinator. With the Broncos, he has constructed arguably the best two-year run from a pass rush group in recent memory, totaling an absurd 131 sacks and leading the league each of the last two years. A second chance is more than deserved for Joseph.