Broncos are Built to Win Now but Fangio Must Prove he Can

Denver Broncos' training camp is over, decisions have been made about the 53-man roster, and a starting quarterback has been named.

Now it's time to find out whether Vic Fangio can deliver the Broncos' first winning season since 2016.

For multiple reasons, the Broncos have failed to post a record above the .500 mark the past four seasons. This year, it's clear this is going to be Fangio's last chance to show that he deserves to be the head coach for the long haul.

Most of the moves that new general manager George Paton have made were about setting things up so Fangio can "win now." However, when you look a little closer, Paton set things up so that, if Fangio doesn't get that winning record, he can start over and build the team for whoever is hired to replace him.

How does the evidence point in that direction? Let's take a closer look at what has happened this offseason.

Why Fangio Stayed When Paton was Hired

For starters, I'm of the belief that when you hire a new general manager, you need to hire a new head coach because you want to ensure that new executive has "his guy" as head coach.

However, it's likely that the Broncos weren't interested in firing another coach after just two seasons, particularly after the Broncos lost so many players to injury in 2021.

Furthermore, it appears that team CEO Joe Ellis may have been trying to send a message to the Bowlen family that they need to decide whether to allow a family member to eventually take over as owner, or to sell the team. Ellis' announcement that he will step down after 2021 may be a move to that end.

The same could be said for John Elway announcing he will phase himself out of a front office role this year, with his deal set to expire after 2021. Given the strong ties Elway has to the franchise, that could have been another message to the Bowlen family to settle the ownership question because people with ingrained in the organization intend to leave soon.

Finally, there's the matter of Vance Joseph, who was fired after just two seasons, halfway into a four-year deal. There were offsets to his salary while he served as the defensive coordinator for the Arizona Cardinals, but it's not likely his coordinator salary offset the full amount of his remaining head coach salary from Denver.

While Joseph's contract is now officially off the books, the Broncos may not have been interested in paying Fangio money remaining over the next two years. Thus, the decision was made to keep him when Paton was brought on board.

Should Fangio not get it done in 2021, the Broncos certainly won't keep him, but then the team would have only one year left to pay him any money. Also, Elway's contract expires, which frees up more money. That sets things up for Paton to hire a new coaching staff if it comes to that.

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Fangio & his Coordinators' Fates are Tied Together

Then there's the question of Fangio's coaching staff — specifically, the three coordinators who work under him.

I'm a big critic of special teams coordinator Tom McMahon, and I know I'm not the only one. However, while I would have preferred to fire him after 2020, Paton might see it differently.

It's possible Paton sees Fangio and his three coordinators may as a package deal — Fangio stays for 2021, so the coordinators stay for this reason: Fangio wanted them here.

It's true that McMahon was a Joseph hire, but Fangio chose to keep him. That makes him a Fangio hire as much as a Joseph hire.

Ed Donatell came along with Fangio to be the defensive coordinator, and after Rich Scangarello lasted just one year as offensive coordinator, Fangio made Pat Shurmur his choice.

Thus, Paton may see it this way: If Fangio succeeds, his coordinators should as well and they are more likely to stay. If Fangio does not, his coordinators go with him, and Paton's pick for a new head coach can choose his own coordinators.

Roster Built with Flexibility in Mind

That brings me to the roster itself. While Paton has made long-term commitments to a few players, most of those added are on short-term commitments.

Justin Simmons, Shelby Harris, and Ronald Darby all got contracts that will keep them with the Broncos through at least 2022. Other free agents, though, are on one-year deals, or two-year deals in which they can be safely cut after one season.

When you look at those players acquired, and some of the late-round draft picks, you'll notice a theme: They're players who are filling a need that the coaching staff had.

Cornerback Kyle Fuller is a great fit for Fangio's defense. Running back Mike Boone was added for what he brings to special teams (something McMahon wants). Certain players taken in the later rounds of the 2021 NFL draft were about scheme fits.

There are cases of players who were added out of necessity (Bobby Massie after Ja'Wuan James was lost to injury, then had his contract voided and was released). However, the most notable names were about addressing needs the coaches had for their schemes.

Then there's the fact that multiple Broncos players will have expiring contracts, ranging from players finishing out rookie deals like Courtland Sutton and Josey Jewell to veterans with expiring contracts such as Von Miller and Bryce Callahan.

In summary, this roster may be built to win in 2021, but a lot of the roster could be moving on in 2022 if things don't go as expected.

That means that Paton, while seeking to get players to help the coaches fulfill their objective, is giving himself some flexibility in case the coaches don't get it done. If he has to hire a new coaching staff, he can visit with that staff about what they want, then act accordingly when it comes to free agency and the 2022 NFL draft.

Bottom Line

With all this said, the Broncos do have a roster that is capable of winning at least 10 games — the threshold Fangio will need to pass to come back in 2022.

Of course, plenty of this does go back to the quarterback situation and whether Fangio and company made the correct call to go with Teddy Bridgewater over Drew Lock.

What should success mean for Fangio with Bridgewater under center? I'll look at that in my next installment.

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