Report: Broncos 'Request' Packers OL Coach Adam Stenavich for Offensive Coordinator
With the head-coaching search now behind them, the Denver Broncos are shifting focus to the formation of Nathaniel Hackett's staff.
To that end, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported Thursday, the Broncos "will request" Green Bay Packers offensive line coach/run game coordinator Adam Stenavich for offensive coordinator. Rapoport also floated Los Angeles Rams secondary coach Ejiro Evero as the "leading candidate" to become the new defensive coordinator.
The team's interest in Stenavich was confirmed by 9News' Mike Klis.
"Hackett also big fan of Packers O-Line coach Adam Stenavich," Klis tweeted Thursday. "Hackett would like Stenavich as Broncos new OC although others to be interviewed for position. If Hackett calls plays as expected, Broncos may need permission from Packers for Stenavich."
Stenavich, 38, just completed his third season in Green Bay, and his first doubling as run game coordinator. The Packers' rushing attack finished 18th in the NFL, averaging 111.8 yards per game, and their offensive line 21st with 33 sacks allowed. (Denver, for contrast's sake, ranked 13th in both categories.)
Prior to his time in Cheesehead Land, Stenavich spent two seasons (2017-18) as the San Francisco 49ers' assistant OL coach. He also held college coaching stints at San Jose State (2015-16) and Northern Arizona (2014).
A former offensive guard himself, Stenavich recently was named the NFL's best positional coach by The 33rd Team.
After getting two All-Pro and two Pro Bowl performances in his unit in 2020 (three total players), Stenavich was forced to get inventive in 2021 due to a series of departures and injuries that saw neither All-Pro return and only OG Lucas Patrick still starting 16 games later. The result? The eight-most EPA/rush, the sixth-fewest sacks allowed, and the seventh-lowest pressure rate en route to the NFC’s top seed. Stenavich’s work should not be undervalued.
Although Stenavich may well follow Hackett to Denver, it, too, remains possible the Packers promote him to fill the latter's old gig. Stenavich is considered a coveted asset to HC Matt LaFleur, who's spoken of him as a potential OC-in-waiting.
“I think he’s been outstanding,” LaFleur said in December, via Bill Huber of SI.com. “He’s got such a great rapport with those guys in the room. Certainly, you never quite know when it’s a guy’s first opportunity. We are lucky to have a guy of his caliber. He loves what he does and he does such a great job for us, from coordinating the run game and getting our guys to go out there and perform on a consistent basis. When you have so much turnover in that room and you don’t get that continuity with the same five going out there, that is a big-time challenge. It’s a credit to our players but also a credit to him and Butkus to allow our offense to still be able to function at a high level and get production.”
If Green Bay blocks Stenavich from leaving, the Broncos could instead look to swipe quarterbacks coach/pass game coordinator Luke Getsy, who interviewed for Denver's HC vacancy and has a tight bond with Hackett — not to mention some guy named Aaron Rodgers.
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