Nathaniel Hackett

Russell Wilson Wanted Sean Payton To Replace Pete Carroll With Seahawks?

February 24th, 2023 at 11:02am CST by Sam Robinson

More information emerged regarding Russell Wilson‘s odd 2022 Friday morning. A report from Kalyn Kahler, Mike Sando and Jayson Jenks of The Athletic indicates the veteran quarterback made a request that Seahawks ownership fire both Pete Carroll and John Schneider, citing the duo had inhibited his pursuit of Super Bowls and awards.

This alleged request came weeks before the Seahawks decided to trade Wilson to the Broncos. Wilson denied (via Twitter) he asked for the Seattle HC and GM’s firings, and a lawyer for the QB described that assertion as “entirely fabricated.”

Wilson-Carroll disagreements about the direction of the Seahawks took place ahead of the QB’s 2021 trade destination list surfacing, and after the 2022 trade, reports indicating the NFC West team viewed its former franchise passer as declining came out. A shockingly mediocre Wilson season commenced in Denver. His partnership with Nathaniel Hackett proved a poor fit, and Hackett became the third first-year HC since the 1970 merger to be fired before season’s end.

The Broncos have since traded for Sean Payton, nearly two years after Wilson’s trade list included the Saints. Wilson wanted the Seahawks to trade for Payton’s rights after his Saints exit last year, according to The Athletic. Payton announced he was leaving the Saints on Jan. 25, 2022; Schneider and Broncos GM George Paton began discussing a trade ahead of the Feb. 5 Senior Bowl. The trade took place March 8.

The previously referenced Latavius Murray text message to his former coach occurred just before the Broncos’ Christmas blowout loss to the Rams. Payton had said Murray texted him about he and a backfield teammate wanting him in Denver, with the veteran running back confirming Wilson was the teammate. Murray sent the text Dec. 23, per The Athletic. The Broncos fired Hackett on Dec. 26, following a 51-14 loss to the Rams. No accusation is made of Wilson wanting Hackett to go, but that relationship had long trended in that direction. During the Broncos’ coaching search, Wilson reached out to Payton.

Payton soon put the kibosh on Wilson’s team having full access to Denver’s facility, but Paton allowed Wilson’s personal coach (Jake Heaps), a physical therapist and a nutritionist such privileges last year. Heaps had partial access to the Seahawks’ facility, per The Athletic, and Wilson did not have an office there. Wilson agreed to stop using the office and to keep his support staff out of the building over the season’s final two weeks.

Wilson organized weekly meetings for Denver’s offense during the players’ Tuesday off day, and The Athletic notes Heaps was part of those summits, which were aimed around preparing for the next opponent. An anonymous coach also said he did not agree with the evaluations Wilson and Heaps made on scouting reports distributed on Tuesdays. With Hackett also being accused of being too deferential to players, the potentially incongruent scouting reports would provide a partial explanation for the Broncos’ myriad offensive issues. Those came to a head during an ugly Thursday loss to the Colts in October and persisted for much of the season.

The team ended the year with three play-callers. All three (Hackett, QBs coach Klint Kubiak, OC Justin Outten) are elsewhere now. Melvin Gordon, whom the Broncos waived in November after extensive fumbling problems, said Hackett attempting to blend Wilson’s Seattle offense and Hackett’s preferred Green Bay-style blueprint was “a bit much.” The organization fired Vic Fangio in large part due to his team’s struggles offensively, but the Broncos’ Pat Shurmur–Teddy Bridgewater setup ranked 23rd in scoring. The Hackett-Wilson season produced a last-place ranking, and while numerous injuries contributed to this decline, the Broncos’ QB-HC partnership generated most of the attention. Payton, who signed a five-year contract, will be tasked with cleaning up this mess.

Payton will call the Broncos’ plays next season, accepting the team’s offer after DeMeco Ryans had generated some buzz. Ryans may not have been a serious candidate. While he preferred the Texans, The Athletic describes the former 49ers DC’s Broncos interview as “awkward.”

The Seahawks have begun negotiations with Geno Smith, whose surprising season earned him Comeback Player of the Year honors. It remains to be seen if the organization will make a true long-term commitment to Wilson’s former backup, but the team that had made some draft missteps late in Wilson’s tenure will be in position to land more starters via the 2023 first- and second-round picks obtained in the Wilson swap. Carroll is signed through the 2025 season; Schneider’s latest extension runs through 2027. Both decision-makers are going into their 14th seasons in Seattle.

Aaron Rodgers Addresses Latest Trade Rumors, Jets’ Nathaniel Hackett Hire

January 31st, 2023 at 2:38pm CST by Sam Robinson

During the first round of Aaron Rodgers trade rumors, the source rarely provided insight about his situation. With Rodgers now having a weekly radio spot, his status is never far off the radar. The 18-year Packers quarterback had more news to address Tuesday.

A weekend report from ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter indicated the Packers would prefer to move on from Rodgers. This would mean giving another team responsibility of the $58.3MM bonus, which can be paid at any point this offseason, but also taking on a substantial dead-money hit — should a trade occur before June 1 — and committing to seeing what Jordan Love has to offer.

Rodgers is well aware of the conversations occurring among Packers brass, per Schefter, and the 39-year-old superstar certainly seemed to confirm as such. “It sounds like there’s already conversations going on that aren’t involving me, which are interesting,” Rodgers said during his latest Pat McAfee Show interview (via ESPN’s Rob Demovsky). This response also came to question that did not specifically address the Schefter report.

The Jets’ Nathaniel Hackett OC hire also did plenty to fuel speculation Rodgers could be headed out of Green Bay. Again offering praise for Hackett — the Packers’ OC from 2019-21 — Rodgers said (via ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini) the former Green Bay assistant was among his favorites. Robert Saleh downplayed the Rodgers-Hackett connection, as should be expected, but the Jets are evaluating Rodgers, Derek Carr and Jimmy Garoppolo.

Rodgers reiterated he has not made a decision about returning but pointed to one of the two decisions on his plate — seemingly calls on playing and staying with the Packers — being made in “a couple weeks.” Carr, Garoppolo and Rodgers could all be available at different points on the calendar — Carr in February, Garoppolo in March and Rodgers potentially in June, when a trade would be less financially punishing for the Packers — adding an interesting wrinkle to this year’s QB market.

Green Bay moving on this offseason would be eerily similar territory, especially with New York being in the equation again. The Packers have used Rodgers as their starter since trading Brett Favre to the Jets in August 2008. The Jets have not acquired a franchise-caliber veteran since that Favre deal, which was only for a conditional third-round pick. Rodgers is expected to command more in a deal. Favre turned 39 shortly after being dealt to the Jets; Rodgers turned 39 last month. Love is going into his fourth season, just as Rodgers was in 15 years ago.

The Packers’ direction will also influence their decision on keeping Rodgers, who mentioned five players — David Bakhtiari, Randall Cobb, Allen Lazard, Robert Tonyan and Marcedes Lewis — as those he wants as teammates. All but Bakhtiari are free agents. Cobb and Lewis’ statuses with the Packers almost certainly depend on Rodgers’, Demovsky adds. Both vets likely will not return to the team if Rodgers is not back. Bakhtiari is due a $9.5MM roster bonus on the third day of the 2023 league year and is set to carry a $28.9MM cap number. Bakhtiari should be expected to return on a restructured deal, per Demovsky. The former All-Pro left tackle said he is not planning to retire, and Brian Gutekunst said he expects the 10-year veteran to be back.

This Date In Transactions History: Nathaniel Hackett Joins Jaguars Staff

January 28th, 2023 at 10:22am CST by Ben Levine

Nathaniel Hackett was once again in the news this week when the Jets announced that they hired him as their new offensive coordinator. The coach was also in the news eight years ago today when he surprised many by joining the Jaguars’ staff.

Besides quality control roles with the Buccaneers and Bills, Hackett mostly cut his teeth in collegiate football, culminating in him becoming Syracuse’s offensive coordinator. It was there that Hackett developed a strong relationship with Syracuse head coach Doug Marrone.

When Marrone was hired as the Bills’ head coach, he brought along Hackett to serve as his offensive coordinator. During his time in Buffalo, Hackett proved that he was able to run a competent running offense. However, thanks in part to the limitations of quarterbacks EJ Manuel, Thad Lewis, and Jeff Tuel, the passing offense struggled. Kyle Orton made the unit more respectable during the 2014 campaign, but it wasn’t enough to prevent changes in Buffalo.

Marrone decided to head to the Jaguars as their assistant head coach for the 2015 season. This left Buffalo’s staff without a secure gig moving forward, but it sounded like Hackett was going to land on his feet relatively quickly. The coach emerged as a favorite for the Rams offensive coordinator gig; this was partly due to his pedigree but was also due to St. Louis missing out on some of their top targets.

However, instead of taking the Rams job, Hackett surprised many when he revealed on January 28, 2015 that he’d be heading to Jacksonville with Marrone. Hackett was named the Jaguars quarterbacks coach, a role he held for a year-plus. Marrone found himself as interim head coach following the firing of Gus Bradley in 2016, and Hackett was promoted to OC when Greg Olson also earned his walking papers. During Hackett’s first full season as offensive coordinator in 2017, the Jaguars offense surprisingly emerged as one of the top units in the NFL with quarterback Blake Bortles and running back Leonard Fournette leading the way. That offense regressed in 2018, and Marrone surprised many when he fired Hackett following a 3-8 start to the year.

Hackett once again landed on his feet. The following offseason, he was hired as offensive coordinator in Green Bay. The Packers were the best offense in 2020, and quarterback Aaron Rodgers won back-to-back MVPs with Hackett at the helm. Thanks to his performance, Hackett finally got his chance to become a head coach when he was hired by the Broncos last offseason.

We all know how that went. The Broncos were perhaps the biggest disappointment of the 2022 season, and Hackett was canned before he was able to complete his first season as head coach. While the coach clearly lost some of his shine during the 2022 campaign, it didn’t stop him from finding a new gig. Earlier this week, the Jets announced that they hired Hackett as their new offensive coordinator.

Hackett truly made a name for himself when he took a surprising Jaguars offense to the AFC Championship in 2017. Had Hackett instead decided to take the St. Louis job (vs. taking the Jacksonville gig on this date in 2015), his career could look a whole lot different than it does today.

Robert Saleh Addresses Nathaniel Hackett Hire, Aaron Rodgers Connection

January 27th, 2023 at 12:01pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Jets have their Mike LaFleur replacement in place after Thursday’s decision to hire Nathaniel Hackett as their new offensive coordinator. That move immediately led to speculation that it could be followed in the near future by the acquisition of Aaron Rodgers.

New York is indeed expected to add a veteran passer this offseason in the wake of Zach Wilson‘s struggles, and a clear connection exists between Hackett and the future Hall of Famer. The pair worked together in Green Bay between 2019 and 2021, a period during which Hackett did not call plays but still played a role in the team’s (and Rodgers’) shared success. Head coach Robert Saleh denied Hackett’s background with the Packers – and his potential importance with respect to securing Rodgers via a trade – played a role in his hire, though.

“It doesn’t matter what the connections are,” Saleh said, via Brian Costello of the New York Post. “Everyone’s got a connection to everybody in this league. The most important thing was finding a guy who we felt could continue developing our young guys at a very high level and a guy who has done it before, a guy who has had success in this league with a variety of different quarterbacks.”

Hackett has indeed worked with several different signal-callers dating back to his time as a play-caller in Buffalo and Jacksonville. While those stints did not result in much success (save for the 2017 Jaguars’ run to the AFC title game), the 43-year-old represents at least a somewhat reasonable hire given his track record prior to his disastrous foray into a head coaching role in Denver last year.

The Broncos were long connected to Rodgers given not only Hackett’s hire, but the presence of a strong defense and several intriguing skill-position pieces on the roster. The exact same can be said of the Jets at this point, as they boast a number of high-end defenders, a strong running game and a pass-catching corps led by Offensive Rookie of the Year finalist Garrett Wilson.

Rodgers is once again at the heart of trade speculation, though it still remains to be seen if he will play in 2023, and how willing the Packers would be to move on from him. The four-time MVP is due $58.3MM option bonus this year, and it can be paid at any before the season begins. But a team trading for Rodgers would have the opportunity to roster him on merely a $15.8MM cap hit in 2023. Even after a down season statistically, Rodgers would also likely command a hefty trade price from the Jets or any other interested team. In light of that, Saleh doubled down on his support for Hackett being his preferred choice to guide the team’s status quo on offense.

“When it came back to a certain checklist that I was trying to go through, just checking boxes on what we were looking for in regard to this next offensive coordinator, I just kept circling back to him,” Saleh said. “He checks every box of what we were looking for. I’m really, really excited about being able to get Nathaniel here.”

Jets Hire Nathaniel Hackett As OC

January 26th, 2023 at 11:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

Nathaniel Hackett will receive an immediate opportunity to bounce back. The recently fired Broncos HC will be hired as the next Jets offensive coordinator, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. The Jets have since announced the move.

This represents a quick turnaround for Hackett, who became just the third head coach to be fired before his first season ended since the 1970 merger. But Hackett brings extensive experience as an OC, having held that title for the Bills, Jaguars and Packers over the past 10 years. The Jets are also hiring Keith Carter as their offensive line coach, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.

The Jets conducted an expansive search to replace Mike LaFleur, and considering Hackett’s recent past, this is a rather surprising hire. The Broncos submitted a bizarre season under Hackett, falling to last place offensively despite trading for Russell Wilson. Hackett both hired a game management coach and removed himself as Denver’s play-caller this season, and the Broncos cut the cord after the Rams’ Christmas Day 50-spot.

But Denver experienced a run of injury issues as well. The team lost starting wideout Tim Patrick in training camp, was down Javonte Williams and Garett Bolles by October and regularly played without multiple starting offensive linemen. Wilson also missed time due to injury. Hackett worked with Wilson to redesign Denver’s offense, and the results produced a spectacular failure. But this Jets hire will undoubtedly be connected to the quarterback many thought the Broncos were trying to lure last year.

Aaron Rodgers has spoken highly of Hackett, who held a non-play-calling OC role in Green Bay for three seasons. The Jets are among the latest teams connected to the all-time great, who is now in a third offseason of trade rumors. The Broncos were unable to lure Rodgers from the Packers to pair him with Hackett, but the rumblings about the 18-year veteran being on the move persist. Jets-Rodgers connections will intensify with the Hackett hire.

Hackett, 43, worked as Doug Marrone‘s OC in Buffalo and Jacksonville. Both jobs featured play-calling duties. While he was not gifted much at quarterback during these stints, four of the five offenses he oversaw ranked outside the top 16 — three of those finishing outside the top 20. The outlier came in 2017, when the Jaguars made a surprising run to the AFC championship game behind a strong defense and the No. 5-ranked scoring offense. The Jags upset the Steelers in the divisional round, scoring 45 points in that game, and held a two-score lead on the Patriots in the second half the following week. Jacksonville reached that stage despite losing Allen Robinson early in the season. The team crashed back to earth in 2018, with Blake Bortles regressing and Hackett being fired. But Hackett landed the Green Bay job soon after.

The Jets were the only team to interview Hackett for their OC gig this year. The Jets will now have employed both Nathaniel and Paul Hackett as OC; the elder Hackett worked in this role from 2001-04. Hackett and Robert Saleh were also on the Jaguars’ staff together in 2016, when the current Jets HC coached Jacksonville’s linebackers.

The Jets are placing a bet Wilson and the Broncos’ spate of injuries were the cause of Hackett’s shortcomings and/or that Hackett’s presence will appeal to Rodgers, who should have multiple suitors. The Packers have not committed to trading Rodgers, but GM Brian Gutekunst did say Jordan Love is ready to start. Jets owner Woody Johnson was in place when the team traded for Brett Favre before his age-39 season back in 2008. Rodgers turned 39 last month. Even if Rodgers is not bound for the Big Apple, the Jets should be expected to acquire a veteran passer. Johnson said he is prepared to pay up for one, after the team’s Zach Wilson experiment busted early. Derek Carr and Jimmy Garoppolo are also set to be available, complicating a Rodgers path that may take longer to form.

The Titans axed Carter when they jettisoned OC Todd Downing this month. Carter served as Tennessee’s O-line coach for the past five seasons; that time overlaps entirely with Derrick Henry‘s surge and the team’s run of solid play with Ryan Tannehill. Other teams pursued Carter, SNY’s Connor Hughes tweets, but he will go with Hackett to New York.

Jets Interview Nathaniel Hackett, Marcus Brady, Brian Johnson, Kevin Patullo For OC Position

January 18th, 2023 at 10:13am CST by Sam Robinson

The Jets’ offensive coordinator search now includes six interviews, including three with Eagles staffers. In addition to interviewing Darrell Bevell and Nick Caley, the Jets have spoken with Philadelphia staffers Brian Johnson and Kevin Patullo, Rich Cimini and Dianna Russini of ESPN.com note (Twitter links).

Johnson has been the Eagles’ quarterbacks coach for the past two seasons, while Patullo serves as Philly’s passing-game coordinator. The team has also spoken with former Colts OC Marcus Brady, Cimini adds. Although Brady is best known for his time in Indianapolis, he joined Philly’s staff several weeks ago.

The team is also meeting with Nathaniel Hackett, Russini tweets. Coming off one of the worst head coaching tenures in modern NFL history, Hackett has been an NFL play-caller for three teams over the past 10 years. He joins Bevell as the only former NFL play-callers on the radar for the Jets position thus far. Hackett is interviewing with the team Wednesday.

While Hackett has been an OC for the Bills, Jaguars and Packers, he is looking to bounce back from an ignominious Broncos tenure — one that ended with him becoming just the third first-year HC to be fired before season’s end since 1970. Hackett’s offense produced weekly letdowns in Denver. Russell Wilson‘s performance nosedived from his Seattle years, and issues with game management plagued the second-generation NFL coach as well. By the time the Broncos fired Hackett, he was neither calling plays nor managing the game.

Speculation pointed to the Broncos hiring Hackett with the hopes of luring Aaron Rodgers, who had been on their radar since early in the 2021 offseason. The four-time MVP instead signed a Packers extension. However, he has recently reopened the trade door. Rodgers said his Packers future is not entirely up to him anymore and has broached the subject of the team dealing him and pivoting to Jordan Love. GM Brian Gutekunst pushed back on this, but Rodgers could be in trade rumors for a third straight offseason. The Jets are prepared to pay up for a veteran to better complement their improved defense, and Rodgers had two of his best seasons with Hackett as Green Bay’s OC. The future Hall of Famer has spoken highly of Hackett, who has a history with Robert Saleh from their time in Jacksonville.

Brady spent five seasons on Frank Reich‘s Colts staff, rising from quarterbacks coach to OC once the Eagles hired Nick Sirianni in 2021. Brady did not call plays in Indianapolis, however, with Reich doing so throughout his tenure. But the former CFL quarterback has OC experience north of the border as well, serving in that role for the Toronto Argonauts from 2012-17.

Jalen Hurts‘ progress has both reflected well on Johnson and Patullo. The Eagles have relied on Hurts’ rushing talents since he took over as their starter, but he made strides as a passer this season. Johnson has been Hurts’ position coach for the past two seasons, coming over after a short stay as Florida’s OC. Johnson was also Dak Prescott‘s position coach at Mississippi State. The Colts’ wide receivers coach from 2018-20, Patullo has held the pass-game coordinator role with the Eagles throughout Sirianni’s Philly tenure.

Latest On Jets’ OC Search

January 15th, 2023 at 11:49am CST by Adam La Rose

JANUARY 15: The Jets are interviewing Marcus Brady today, per Rapoport (via Twitter).

JANUARY 14: The Jets made headlines earlier in the week when they parted ways with offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur. That leaves the team with a significant hole to fill on offense during the coming weeks, but there is no shortage of names being floated around with respect to his potential replacements.

The early favorite appears to be Darrell Bevell. The Dolphins’ quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator represents the name mentioned most often for the Jets’ OC vacancy, Connor Hughes of SNY tweets. The 52-year-old is in his first season with Miami, but spent the previous 15 campaigns as an offensive coordinator. That tenure included a stint as the Seahawks’ OC from 2012 to 2017, which earned him a Super Bowl ring.

That time also included overlap with current Jets head coach Robert Saleh, who was a defensive assistant at the time. Bevell saw time with the Vikings as their OC prior to his Seattle stint, and occupied the same role with the Lions and Jaguars. His experience as an interim head coach with the latter two teams – coupled with his role in revitalizing the Dolphins’ offense this year – has made him a potential HC candidate in this year’s cycle.

While it remains to be seen if New York will interview Bevell for the position, they have done so with Eagles passing game coordinator Kevin Patullo, reports NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero (on Twitter). The meeting took place yesterday, as Patullo prepares to continue his work with the NFC’s top seed. He has been with Philadelphia for the past two seasons, after a three-year stint alongside Nick Sirianni with the Colts in a similar role; he also spent one season with Gang Green prior to that.

The Jets have also requested an interview with Nick Caley, per Pelissero’s colleague Ian Rapoport (Twitter link). He is currently the Patriots’ tight ends coach, a title he has held since 2017. The 39-year-old has exclusively worked in New England during his NFL coaching career, but he spent a decade in the college ranks prior to joining Bill Belichick‘s staff in 2015. Rapoport had previously named Caley as a name to watch, alongside Eagles QBs coach Brian Johnson and former Colts OC Marcus Brady (Twitter link).

Meanwhile, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer tweets that Bills QBs coach Joe Brady is another potential candidate. He notes that the Jets are “doing homework” on the 33-year-old, who was highly-touted after his work in college (particularly with LSU) when he took on the Panthers’ OC job in 2020. That, much like Matt Rhule‘s tenure in Charlotte, did not go according to plan, however, and he was fired midway through his second season with the team. Brady was hired by the Bills shortly thereafter, as he began the process of rebuilding his stock.

Each of the above names comprise a list of candidates along with the likes of ex-Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett, Rams offensive assistant Greg Olson and Chiefs QBs coach Matt Nagy. That trio, according to ESPN’s Rich Cimini, could all be in the mix, though he adds (via Twitter) that veteran Gary Kubiak is not expected to be a part of the Jets’ search. New York’s process of replacing LaFleur will be worth watching as the team looks to take another step forward on offense in 2023.

Packers HC Matt LaFleur Open To Nathaniel Hackett Return, Endorses DC Joe Barry

January 10th, 2023 at 8:59am CST by Adam La Rose

Plenty of changes have already taken place on the sidelines in the NFL with the regular season now complete, but it does not appear that Green Bay will be the site of much turnover in that regard. One exception could be a reunion with a familiar face.

When speaking to the media, head coach Matt LaFleur said he is open to the possibility of former offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett coming back to his staff. The latter left last offseason to become the Broncos’ head coach, a move which did not end well, to say the least. Hackett was fired before the season – his first as a bench boss – had come to an end with the Broncos falling well short of expectations, particularly on offense.

The 43-year-old had previously spent three seasons in Green Bay as the team’s OC, albeit one who did not call plays. The same is now true of Adam Stenavich, who, as ESPN’s Rob Demovsky notes, is expected to remain in his current post regardless of whether or not Hackett is brought back. A reunion is something which LaFleur said he has “definitely entertained” though he admitted that his evaluation process of the staff has only just begun.

One other noteworthy change which could come about as a result of that process is LaFleur ceding play-calling duties. Such a move is one he has considered in the past, but, in light of the team’s middling defensive performance and discipline issues, one which would allow him to address other areas of the team.

“As far as the playcalling’s concerned, yeah that’s crossed my mind in terms of I want to do whatever’s best for us to have success,” LaFleur said. “If we feel like that is the best way for us to win games, then I would 100% hand that over.”

As for defensive coordinator Joe Barry, LaFleur gave an endorsement in favor of his return in 2023. The Packers were expected to lean on the strength of their defense more so this season than previous ones in no small part due to the team’s continued investment on that side of the ball. The unit finished the campaign ranked 17th in both points (21.8) and yards (337) allowed per game, though their secondary fared better than those overall statistics suggest. Despite Barry’s performance coming under fire during Green Bay’s five-game losing streak in particular, LaFleur reiterated that he expects Barry to be retained.

“I don’t really anticipate a whole lot, if any staff changes at all,” LaFleur said. “I do believe in the people, not only in the locker room, but our coaching staff… It’s my intention to try and have everybody back. I think continuity is a big part of having success in this league.”

After an 8-9 season which ended without a playoff berth, many questions will be asked this offseason in Green Bay. If LaFleur has his way, however, significant alterations to his staff will not be forthcoming.

Broncos HC Fallout: Penner, Paton, Payton, Hackett, Evero, Rosburg, Rypien, Risner

December 28th, 2022 at 3:59pm CST by Sam Robinson

George Paton‘s status with the Broncos has taken some hits this week. Although the second-year GM is set to remain in his post, it appears the decisions to hire Nathaniel Hackett and trade for Russell Wilson have cost him.

New Broncos CEO Greg Penner is set to play a major role in the team’s next HC hire, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com notes. With the Broncos still in the process of putting the team up for sale when they conducted the search that produced Hackett, Paton led the hiring process. Penner said he will rely on Paton during the team’s latest hiring effort, but with it being the new ownership’s first HC search, it should be expected the GM will not have final say.

Paton’s situation reminds somewhat of Joe Douglas‘ with the Jets, though the former has not been on the job as long. Douglas has rebuilt the Jets’ defense to the point the team is a playoff contender, and this year’s draft class has helped the team considerably. But the Zach Wilson investment has gone south fast. Paton passed on Justin Fields for burgeoning star cornerback Patrick Surtain II and landed high-end starters Javonte Williams and Quinn Meinerz in Rounds 2 and 3, while also adding outside linebacker Baron Browning on Day 2 of last year’s draft. Denver collected first- and fourth-round picks for Bradley Chubb at this year’s deadline, helping to fill the draft-capital void created by the Wilson trade. While several of Paton’s moves have worked out, the Wilson-Hackett partnership undercut them and has the former Vikings lieutenant on thinner ice.

It is not known if Paton or ownership pushed to have Wilson signed long-term before this season. Conversations ramped up once Penner arrived along with Rob Walton, and the team wanted to avoid waiting until 2023 to extend the QB. But the five-year, $245MM extension is off to a shockingly poor start. Penner announcing that the next HC will report to him and not Paton strips the latter’s power to the point Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk posits the next Broncos coach will have the chance to run the football operation. Paton, 52, has held that role since arriving last year.

The Broncos have experienced ups and downs with a coach running the show, going from Mike Shanahan in this role to the overmatched Josh McDaniels, who held de facto GM power upon being hired in 2009. Considering new ownership’s deep pockets and a potential offer to run football operations, the Broncos would present an intriguing opportunity for an experienced head coach. That is believed to be the direction Denver heads this time, after seeing first-time hires Vance Joseph, Vic Fangio and Hackett underwhelm.

“I’ve worked with a lot of great CEOs, and it starts with really strong leadership,” Penner said. “I think that’s going to be the most critical factor here in a head coach. Obviously the X’s and O’s are important, but we need a strong leader for this organization that’s focused on winning. That starts with culture, it’s instilling a sense of accountability, discipline, and we need an identity on offense. At the starting point, it’s got to be about culture and leadership, and those characteristics are what we’ve focused on the most.”

Frank Reich, Jim Harbaugh, Dan Quinn and Sean Payton are believed to be on the early radar. The Broncos could make a strong run at Payton, Fowler adds, though it is not certain the former Saints HC is interested. Harbaugh has a relationship with Broncos consultant John Elway, who ran the team’s football ops for 10 years, and minority owner Condoleezza Rice due to each’s Stanford ties. Rice worked with Harbaugh during his time with the Cardinal, per Florio, adding an interesting wrinkle to the upcoming search.

As for the team’s current setup, interim HC Jerry Rosburg said (via 9News’ Mike Klis, on Twitter) DC Ejiro Evero declined the chance to be the interim option out of loyalty to Hackett. Evero and Hackett have been friends since they were college teammates at UC-Davis. The league has also shifted away from promoting interim coaches, with Doug Marrone being the most recent such hire back in 2017. The Broncos still want to interview Evero, though the first-time DC does not profile as an experienced candidate.

Rosburg, 67, also said (via ESPN.com’s Jeff Legwold, on Twitter) it was his decision to fire special teams coordinator Dwayne Stukes and offensive line coach Butch Barry. Both were Hackett hires. Rosburg also confirmed it was Paton, not Hackett, who brought him out of retirement to be the team’s game management assistant. Hackett’s run of issues during the season’s first two weeks led to the hire. The sideline confrontation between Brett Rypien and Dalton Risner also contributed to the early Hackett dismissal, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com notes (video link), as it was a sign the first-year coach was losing the team. Penner said off-field matters led to the early firing. Randy Gregory, who threw a punch at Rams offensive lineman Oday Aboushi and faced a suspension, cited Hackett’s tenuous status as HC in his successful appeal to the league, Klis tweets.

Broncos GM Believes Russell Wilson Is Fixable; Next HC To Report To Ownership

December 27th, 2022 at 3:09pm CST by Sam Robinson

Broncos GM George Paton has seen a few members of his 2021 draft class become high-end starters, and the team’s Bradley Chubb trade at this year’s deadline netted a first-round pick. But Paton’s two biggest moves since taking the GM reins — hiring Nathaniel Hackett as head coach and trading for Russell Wilson — have moved him to a relatively hot seat.

Although Paton is staying on in the wake of Hackett joining a short list of HCs fired before the end of their first season (just five since the 1970 merger), new Broncos CEO Greg Penner said (via NFL.com) the next head coach will report directly to him. This effectively minimizes Paton’s power, and it should not be considered out of the question the Broncos will be looking for a new GM if the next head coach insists on it.

Paton, 52, was a sought-after GM candidate for years and was viewed as likely to stay on in Denver prior to Hackett’s ouster. But the Hackett-Wilson pairing ignited a stunningly ineffective offense, leading to Denver falling well short of expectations despite a stout defense. The Broncos rank last in scoring — down from 23rd with Teddy Bridgewater and OC Pat Shurmur at the controls last season — and chose to both bring in a game management assistant and move their QBs coach (Klint Kubiak) to the play-calling role. The next Denver HC will be tasked with repairing Wilson, something Paton believes can happen.

“We saw flashes of Russ this year. Russ even said he didn’t play up to his standard,” Paton said. “He will be the first one to tell you he didn’t play up to his standard, didn’t play up to our standard. He needs to be better.

“I don’t think we made a coaching move based on Russ. That wasn’t what it’s all about. That’s not why we’re getting a new coach, to turn around Russ, it’s about the entire organization. It’s about the entire football team. It’s just not one player. It’s not whether Russ is fixable or not. We do believe he is. We do.”

After making the blockbuster trade for the nine-time Pro Bowl passer, the Broncos gave him significant input in helping design the offense, Nick Kosmider of The Athletic notes (subscription required). The Broncos also allowed Wilson’s personal team unfettered access. Attempting for much of this season to play more from the pocket — a scenario some Seahawks staffers envisioned would take place as Wilson (fourth all time in QB rushing yards) aged — the 11th-year QB has produced by far his worst season. The potential Hall of Famer has played through injuries for much of the year and often lined up with a backup-laden offensive line and receiving corps. The Broncos have also been without Javonte Williams since October. But Wilson’s struggles to this degree (29th in QBR — a sharp decline from 10th in a down 2021 season) have been one of the most shocking developments in recent quarterback history.

The Broncos gave Wilson a five-year, $245MM extension in August, tying him to the team through the 2028 season. The team’s offensive freefall will certainly impact its next HC search. Paton, Penner, Rob Walton and minority owner Condoleezza Rice will work toward finding a staff that can coax better play from the current franchise centerpiece.

“The decision to have Russell here was a long-term one,” Penner said. “This season has not been up to his standards or expectations. We saw some glimpses of it in the last few weeks. He knows he can play better, we know he can play better, and we know he will do the right work in the offseason to be ready for next year.

“George and I have had a chance to get to know each other — we talk every day since we purchased the team a number of months ago — and he acknowledged right up front there were a couple of decisions that hadn’t worked out as he had expected. But I understand his thought process. He understands the work that needs to be done in this offseason, and I’m going to rely on him heavily as we go through and make these changes.”

The team offered the interim HC gig to DC Ejiro Evero, who declined, leading to Jerry Rosburg — whom the Broncos pulled out of retirement to address Hackett’s game management issues — taking the gig. But the team wants to interview Evero for the full-time position. While Evero may be in the mix, Mike Klis of 9News notes experience will likely be prioritized. Frank Reich, Dan Quinn, Jim Harbaugh and Sean Payton should be considered candidates, per Klis, and SI.com’s Albert Breer heard Harbaugh connections to Denver shortly before Hackett’s firing.

Payton will require trade compensation to land, as the Saints still hold his rights, and will be coveted by every team searching for a new coach. Reich said he hopes to coach again in 2023, while Quinn was a Broncos finalist this year. Paton added experience is a plus but not a requirement.

Harbaugh signed a new Michigan contract last year and recently reaffirmed his commitment to the Wolverines, but the ex-49ers HC has long lingered on the NFL fringe. The Vikings interviewed Harbaugh last year, and the Colts have now been linked to an attempt to bring him back to Indianapolis. Harbaugh, 59, has a relationship with John Elway, per Breer, dating back to the former’s time as Stanford’s HC. Elway is no longer in a regular role but works as a consultant; he had input in the Broncos’ process to trade for Wilson this year. Harbaugh’s 49ers stay did include some notable quarterback success stories. The fiery HC elevated Alex Smith‘s career in the early 2010s and redesigned his offense to suit the talents of Colin Kaepernick, leading to three straight NFC championship game appearances.

Coaches formerly with the Seahawks could be candidates as well, with CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson indicating options like Quinn and Dolphins QBs coach Darrell Bevell — a longtime Seahawks OC — have been brought up (Twitter links). The Broncos had success when pivoting to retreated head coaches John Fox and Gary Kubiak. While Peyton Manning had plenty to do with that, it appears the team will try to move in this direction after three straight first-timers — Hackett, Vic Fangio, Vance Joseph — could not end the now-seven-season playoff drought.

Load More Posts