Report: Broncos Hire Packers' Christian Parker as New DBs Coach

After nearly two weeks, the lone vacancy on the Denver Broncos' coaching staff has been filled.

The Denver Post's Ryan O'Halloran reported Saturday that Denver is expected to hire Green Bay Packers defensive quality control assistant Christian Parker as its new secondary coach. Parker will replace Renaldo Hill, who became the Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator under rookie head coach (and ex-Broncos linebackers coach) Brandon Staley.

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This is a big break for Parker, 29, who has just two years of NFL experience. He arrived in Green Bay in 2019 following a stint at Texas A&M where he worked as a defensive analyst. A wide receiver and cornerback at Richmond (2009-2012), he started his coaching career as Virginia Tech's DBs instructor from 2013-14 before taking the same position at Norfolk State (2015-16). In 2017, he served as a defensive analyst for Notre Dame, drawing effusive praise from former Irish DBs coach Todd Lyght.

“I love his energy,” Lyght said in January 2020, via IrishSportsDaily.com. “I love his passion for the game. He was a really, really smart football player, great teacher. ... I think he did a really good job in terms of his communication with the guys. He’s the type of guy who is going to create positive synergy between the coaching staff and the players, which is going to make him a really good coach in the future.”

In Denver, Parker inherits a secondary that ranked 16th overall this season, decimated by top corner A.J. Bouye's suspension and injuries to Bryce Callahan, Essang Bassey, and Duke Dawson. The lone bright spots were star safety Justin Simmons, who led the club with five interceptions en route to his first Pro Bowl nod, and rookie CB Michael Ojemudia, who blossomed into a starter — default or not — by year's end.

It's also a secondary that may look frighteningly different by the time free agency kicks off March 17. Bouye and starting S Kareem Jackson are potential salary-cap casualties while Simmons, an unrestricted free agent, could sign elsewhere if he prices himself out of the Broncos' range.

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