Report: Broncos to Interview Packers TE Coach Justin Outten for OC Position
Nathaniel Hackett — the Denver Broncos' 18th head coach — is learning just how true the classic Rolling Stones song is in the NFL coaching world.
You can't always get what you want.
Hackett wanted to interview Green Bay Packers offensive line coach Adam Stenivich for the Broncos' offensive coordinator vacancy but his old boss, Matt LaFleur, blocked the move. Green Bay obstructed Hackett on the Stenivich front because he was promoted to offensive coordinator, replacing Hackett.
With the Chicago Bears hiring Hackett's QBs coach Luke Getsy (who also interviewed for Denver's head-coaching vacancy), Hackett opted to continue his pursuit of plundering Green Bay's offensive staff by reportedly targeting wide receivers coach Jason Vrable but LaFleur wouldn't play ball, per the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Tom Silverstein.
And so Hackett requested to interview tight ends coach Justin Outten. LaFleur acquiesced.
"Hearing after Broncos were unable to hire Adam Stenavich from Packers, they went after WR coach Jason Vrable. But he won’t be going either and is possibly LaFleur’s passing game coordinator assuming Getsy leaves for Bears. Hackett may have eye on TEs coach Justin Outten now," Silverstein tweeted on Saturday.
On Sunday, 9NEWS' Mike Klis reported that "all signs" point to the Broncos hiring Outten.
Although perhaps not Hackett's first choice for offensive coordinator, Outten makes a lot of sense. Springing off the Kyle Shanahan coaching tree in Atlanta, Outten continued as a sapling under LaFleur, who was himself an offshoot of Shanahan and later Sean McVay, of the Los Angeles Rams.
With news of Hackett also requesting to interview former Minnesota Vikings OC Klint Kubiak for an offensive assistant role in Denver, there's no doubt that the most familiar version of the West Coast Offense is returning to the Mile High City. Hackett will call the plays but will lean on Outten (if hired) in the same way LaFleur leaned on him in Green Bay.
Joining the Packers under LaFleur in January of 2019, Outten presided over the blossoming development of tight end Robert Tonyan, who notched a career-high 11 touchdowns last season, which tied the Packers' single-season franchise record that stood since 1983 (for a tight end).
On the defensive side of the ball, it would appear that Rams' secondary coach Ejiro Evero and Baltimore Ravens' defensive line coach Anthony Weaver are the finalists for the coordinator job.
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