Another AFC Contender Requests DC Interview With Broncos' Jim Leonhard

Jim Leonhard has drawn significant interest during this year's hiring cycle.

Wisconsin interim head coach Jim Leonhard arrives before a NCAA Big Ten Conference football game against Iowa, Saturday, Nov. 12, 2022, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. 221112 Wisc Iowa Fb 111 Jpg | Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK

The NFL is very interested in Denver Broncos defensive pass game coordinator Jim Leonhard. After interviewing for the Los Angeles Chargers' defensive coordinator vacancy, Leonhard is expected to interview for the same job with the Buffalo Bills.

Into the Leonhard fray now come the Baltimore Ravens, who wish to interview Denver's coveted secondary coach, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

"[The] Ravens requested to interview Broncos defensive passing game coordinator and assistant HC Jim Leonhard for their defensive coordinator job, per source. Leonhard — who played in Baltimore in 2008 — already has interviewed for the Chargers DC and is expected to interview for Buffalo’s DC," Schefter posted on X Thursday morning.

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Leonhard's Resume

Denver Broncos secondary coach and pass game coordinator Jim Leonhard coaches safety P.J. Locke (6) during the offseason training program. | Ben Swanson/Denver Broncos

Leonhard, 43, just wrapped up his second year with the Broncos. Sean Payton hired him in 2024 as the team's secondary coach, after a stint in the college ranks with Wisconsin and Illinois.

After the success of 2024, which saw cornerback Patrick Surtain II garner Defensive Player of the Year honors, Leonhard's NFL profile exploded, as teams around the NFL expressed interest in him for various positions. The Broncos sweetened the pot, giving him the new title of pass game coordinator and assistant head coach on top of his duties as the secondary coach.

Cut to 2025, and once again, the Broncos' defense is even more dominant. The addition of free-agent safety Talanoa Hufanga made a huge impact on Leonhard's secondary, but arguably the biggest success that reflected on the young coach was how the cornerbacks managed during Surtain's three-game absence.

Riley Moss rotated over to the No. 1 corner spot, while younger players like rookie first-rounder Jahdae Barron and 2024 fifth-rounder Kris Abrams-Draine were thrust into the fore. The Broncos won all three games that Surtain missed and the secondary didn't skip a beat.

Leonhard has been viewed as Denver's defensive-coordinator-in-waiting, with the expectation that Vance Joseph's opportunity to be a head coach again was a matter of when not if. However, despite the high number of head-coaching vacancies that opened up during this NFL hiring cycle, only two remain, and Joseph is yet to be hired.

Meanwhile Leonhard is drawing heavy interest around the NFL. He has an opportunity to advance his NFL coaching career, and is can only wait so long before taking the next stop.

Opportunity doesn't always knock twice, let alone multiple times, especially for young NFL coaches. Does that mean that Leonhard is as good as gone? Not necessarily, as the Chargers opted to go a different direction at defensive coordinator after meeting with Leonhard.

Time will tell with Leonhard. As it stands, the Broncos have three coaching vacancies on Payton's staff since the season ended: offensive coordinator, wide receivers coach, and cornerbacks coach. Despite the success of the Broncos' cornerback room this year, Addison Lynch was fired earlier this week.