Broncos' Top HC Candidates to Replace Nathaniel Hackett in 2023
The Denver Broncos will likely be looking for a new coach come January 9, 2023.
While GM George Paton hired Nathaniel Hackett earlier this year, the team has drastically underperformed. It will be hard to stick with Hackett, as Denver sits 0-3 in the division with two games left against the Kansas City Chiefs and one against the Los Angeles Chargers.
With the Broncos practically winning out, it would take a massive turnaround to see Hackett keep his job potentially. But, even then, Paton will have a tough decision before him.
If Hackett is one-and-done as a head coach, there are plenty of options to replace him. But, unfortunately, with him also means potentially replacing the coordinators. So here are nine options for each of the big three coaching jobs?
Let's dive into the scuttlebutt.
Head Coach
Dan Quinn | DC | Dallas Cowboys
Quinn was a finalist for the coaching job that ended with the Hackett hire. Even though he signed an extension in Dallas, Quinn will again be high up on multiple teams' coaching lists. There is a relationship between Paton and Quinn.
Currently, Quinn has the Cowboys' defense as the second-best unit according to Football Outsiders' DVOA, behind only the Buffalo Bills. He has some creative packages to get after the quarterback and has done well-developing players in Dallas while also getting others to play above expectations.
Shane Steichen | OC | Philadelphia Eagles
Steichen will draw a lot of attention for his work with the Eagles' offense and Jalen Hurts. Steichen took over play-calling duties last season and hasn't looked back. While there are some dud play calls, he consistently calls a good game.
The offense is explosive and uses their players' talents to their max. Much of the credit goes to Steichen for how much responsibility he has been given with the offense.
DeMeco Ryans | DC | San Francisco 49ers
Ryans has had a lot of success as the Niners' defensive coordinator. San Francisco is ranked seventh in overall defensive DVOA and consistently perform at a high level, but especially against the run, with the third-best rushing DVOA.
Ryans has shown a lot of creativity at every level with how he runs that defense and has been a hot name for this coaching cycle.
Ben Johnson | OC | Detroit Lions
Johnson has overseen the Lions' offensive resurgence this season, where they rank 10th in offensive DVOA, 13th in the pass, and seventh in the rush. His offense ranks sixth in total yards per game while averaging the eighth-best 25 points per game.
The Lions have some talent on offense, but there is no doubt Johnson is getting the best out of what he has. Detroit hasn't had Jameson Williams, its second first-round pick from the 2022 NFL draft, and traded away its second-leading receiver before the deadline in TE T.J. Hockenson.
Frank Reich | Ex-Indianapolis Colts HC | Free Agent
Reich was the Colts' head coach, and it wasn't the best ending of his time there. He got the job in 2018 and posted a 41-33-1 record as their head coach while starting a different quarterback each season. Reich has shown he can adapt to the quarterback but was also let down by GM Chris Ballard and how he was building the team.
Working with Andrew Luck, Jacoby Brissett, Phillip Rivers, Carson Wentz, and Matt Ryan each year as season starters, Reich had to change things to fit them. However, Reich is a good coach, and Paton will likely do a better job building the team for him than Ballard did.
Chris Horton | STC | Baltimore Ravens
Horton is the only special teams coordinator to make this list, as he has been praised in NFL circles for a while now. His special teams unit was ranked ninth in DVOA his first year in 2019 and moved up to second-best, then the top unit, which is where they sit for 2022. John Harbaugh plays a role in that, as he made a name for himself as a special teams coordinator.
Horton has been learning under Harbaugh, and his name is starting to generate a lot of interest as a head coaching candidate. Unfortunately, despite having a hand in both offense and defense, special team coordinators don't get enough recognition as coaching candidates.
Leslie Frazier | DC | Buffalo Bills
Quinn leads the second-best defense in DVOA; Frazier is the defensive coordinator for the top-rated defense in DVOA. Over the offseason, he was dubbed the best defensive play-caller, ahead of Quinn, by Pro Football Focus.
The Bills' defense has plenty of talent to work with, but the Broncos also have plenty of talent. There would be a shift in coverage usage, as the Bills are well-rounded, with Cover-1, Cover-2, Cover-3, and Cover-4 all being called between 98 and 122 times this season. Denver has predominately been Cover-1 (called 278 times) and Cover-6 (called 114 times).
Jonathon Gannon | DC | Philadelphia Eagles
Gannon was reportedly the best interview for multiple teams, including the Broncos, and made the finalists for the Houston Texans. His second year shows tremendous growth as a play-caller, schemer, and game-plan designer.
The Eagles' rush defense has been an issue, as they rank 26th in DVOA, but they are third against the pass and fourth overall. However, GM Howie Roseman built up that defense's talent level, and Gannon is making the most of it.
Offensive Coordinator
Klint Kubiak | QBs Coach | Denver Broncos
Kubiak took over the playcalling, but this still isn't his scheme. If he can improve his calls when he is off the script, his familiarity with the players could boost his promotion to offensive coordinator.
Joe Bleymaier | WRs Coach | Kansas City Chiefs
Bleymaier has been a good receivers coach since he took over in 2021 and has been growing under Andy Reid. With him being one looked at to replace Eric Bieniemy if he gets a head-coaching gig, he could be worth a look.
Dan Pitcher | QBs Coach | Cincinnati Bengals
Pitcher has done a good job bringing Joe Burrow along. He first came into the NFL as a scout before getting hired by Cincinnati as part of the offensive staff. Pitcher survived a coaching change and has worked his way up to being the quarterback's coach, which he has held since 2020.
Shane Day | QBs Coach | Los Angeles Chargers
There are rumors that the Chargers will change up the coaching staff, and Day should be on the Broncos' radar. He has done a great job bringing Justin Herbert along.
Zac Robinson | Pass-Game Coordinator/QBs Coach | Los Angeles Rams
There is no question the Rams are not meeting expectations this season, but Robinson is an up-and-coming offensive mind under the Sean McVay tree.
Brian Johnson | QBs Coach | Philadelphia Eagles
Much like Steichen, Johnson deserves his share of the credit for the development of Jalen Hurts. While he wouldn't be the leading choice for offensive coordinator for all the head coaching options on this list, there are a few that he would stand out for.
Hank Fraley | OL Coach | Detroit Lions
Fraley has one of the most talented offensive line units in the NFL, but he has had a hand in getting them that way. As a result, he is quickly becoming viewed as one of the best offensive line coaches in the NFL.
Brian Schottenheimer | Coaching Analyst | Dallas Cowboys
If Paton and the next head coach want to bring in someone with familiarity to the quarterback, Schottenheimer comes to mind. Darren Bevell is another, and both worked with Wilson in Seattle.
Defensive Coordinator
Ejiro Evero | DC | Denver Broncos
Evero is under the defensive coordinator options, but he will also get consideration to be the head coach. It won't be long before he gets a head coaching job, so it would make sense for Paton to secure Evero. However, with how great he has done with the defense, it would make sense to keep him as the defensive coordinator, at the very least.
Scott McCurley | LBs Coach | Dallas Cowboys
During the previous hiring cycle, McCurley was one of a few names floated as options to replace Quinn in Dallas or follow him as a defensive coordinator. This year, with what McCurley has helped do in Dallas, he will get consideration outside of Quinn.
Ryan Crow | OLBs Coach | Tennessee Titans
Crow has done a great job in two years as the outside linebackers coach for the Titans. His unit is part of the fourth-highest-graded pass rush by Pro Football Focus while being the team that blitzes at the fourth-lowest percentage in the NFL.
Kris Kocurek | DL Coach | San Francisco 49ers
Kocurek is the best defensive line coach in the NFL. He has consistently brought along good-quality defensive linemen during his career at multiple stops. His time in San Francisco has finally started to see him get the deserved recognition, which could lead to a defensive coordinator position.
Christian Parker | DBs Coach | Denver Broncos
Parker was getting mentioned as a defensive coordinator option last year, and if the Broncos promote Evero or lose him to another team, Parker would be an in-house option to replace him.
Aden Durde | DL Coach | Dallas Cowboys
Durde was another coach who was getting viewed as an option to replace Quinn or follow him as the defensive coordinator. Durde got his first coaching gig in 2018 and has stuck with Quinn since. It has been a short career so far, but he is a bright defensive mind getting talked about in NFL circles.
D'Anton Lynn | DBs Coach | Baltimore Ravens
Lynn has worked for several teams and settled as a defensive backs coach. He has done a good job in Baltimore and deserves consideration as a defensive coordinator.
Zachary Orr | ILBs Coach | Baltimore Ravens
Orr was a defensive assistant for the Ravens before getting a chance to be a position coach for the Jaguars in 2021, where he coached the outside linebackers. Now he is coaching the inside linebackers for Baltimore and working towards being a defensive coordinator. This may be a year early for Orr to make the jump, however.
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