Vance Joseph

Broncos Hire Vance Joseph

The Broncos’ coaching search is over. The Broncos have agreed to a four-year deal with Vance Joseph, sources tell Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). General manager John Elway has since confirmed the news via Twitter.Vance Joseph (vertical)

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For the last week or so, Joseph has been identified as the frontrunner for the Denver vacancy. From the start, GM John Elway indicated that the team had about “three or four” candidates in mind and Joseph was reportedly in the driver’s seat before he ever interviewed.

Joseph interviewed for Denver’s vacant head coaching position prior to the 2015 season when he was the Bengals’ defensive backs coach. When the Broncos hired Gary Kubiak, the club pushed to hire Joseph as their defensive coordinator, but Cincinnati blocked the move. After that, Joseph moved on to Miami and helped improve the team’s defense from a No. 25 DVOA rank in 2015 to No. 17 this year.

Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan and Chiefs special teams coach Dave Toub also interviewed for the job. Anthony Lynn was “expected” to interview with Denver, but he never got the chance.

Next up for Denver is rounding out the staff. The Broncos have two offensive coordinator interviews set up for Thursday: Mike McCoy and Bill Musgrave, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. Denver defensive backs coach Joe Woods will likely be elevated to DC, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.

Meanwhile, in Miami, linebackers coach Matt Burke is likely going to be promoted to DC.

Mike Klis of 9NEWS (on Twitter) first reported the Broncos’ offer to Joseph. Additional details provided by Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (on Twitter) and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter).

Chargers, 49ers, Rams To Interview Vance Joseph

The Broncos have completed their head coaching interview with Vance Joseph, and the Dolphins defensive coordinator will now continue his busy schedule with three more meetings this week. Joseph will interview with the Chargers, 49ers, and Rams over the course of the next three days, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (Twitter link). Vance Joseph (vertical)

[RELATED: 2017 Head Coaching Search Tracker]

Joseph, 44, is among the hottest head coaching candidates of this year’s hiring cycle, as five of the six clubs — all but the Jaguars — have requested permission to interview the Miami DC. Joseph will have one interview per day during the next three days, but no date has yet been set for a meeting between Joseph and the Bills, the remaining team that has expressed interest.

Thought to be the favorite for the Denver job after Gary Kubiak announced he was stepping away from the NFL, Joseph has apparently completed his interview without being offered the head coaching position, as general manager John Elway tweeted a message signalling the meeting had come to a close. At last check, however, Joseph was still in the Broncos facility, per Mike Klis of 9NEWS (Twitter link).

Joseph interviewed for Denver’s vacant head coaching position during the 2015 offseason when he was still the Bengals’ defensive backs coach. Though the Broncos ultimately hired Kubiak, the club maintained strong interest in bringing Joseph in as defensive coordinator, but Cincinnati blocked the move. Since that time, Joseph has moved on to Miami, where he’s helped improve the team’s defense from a No. 25 DVOA rank in 2015 to No. 17 this year.

Dolphins Eyeing Matt Burke As Potential DC

Defensive coordinator Vance Joseph is in the mix for five different head coaching gigs and the Dolphins have a funny feeling that he might leave the nest. With that in mind, the Dolphins are likely to promote linebackers coach Matt Burke to DC, sources tell Armando Salguero of The Miami HeraldMatt Burke (vertical)

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Joseph is scheduled to interview with the Broncos on Tuesday and the 49ers on Thursday. The Rams, Bills, and Chargers also have been granted permission to interview Joseph. Reportedly, he is the frontrunner for the Denver gig and he already has guys in mind to serve on his staff.

The Fins hired Burke away from the Bengals roughly one year ago today for this exact reason, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. Miami won’t be left scrambling if Joseph goes and that’s a good thing, because seems more and more likely every day that he will be someone’s else head coach in 2017.

West Notes: 49ers, Rams, Joseph, Raiders

The only team with GM and head coaching vacancies, the 49ers have several interviews on the east coast forthcoming in the next few days. On Monday, San Francisco’s brass will meet with Redskins OC Sean McVay for the HC job and conduct an interview with Panthers assistant general manager Brandon Beane for the GM position, Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com reports.

Panthers DC Sean McDermott will follow Beane by meeting with the 49ers about their HC gig on Tuesday, and ESPN analyst Louis Riddick will interview for the GM position during the day as well. The 49ers may not be in a rush, being scheduled to interview Seahawks offensive line coach Tom Cable next Sunday. The following Monday, the team will meet with more GM candidates. Both of the Seahawks’ co-directors of player personnel, Scott Fitterer and Trent Kirchner, will interview then in what’s become quite the expansive search.

CEO Jed York and fellow high-ranking 49ers staffer Paraag Marathe are leading this search, one that may come down to whether or not the team is willing to wait on Patriots OC Josh McDaniels to conclude his 2016-season responsibilities. The 49ers have already interviewed three for the HC position and four execs for the GM job.

Here’s more from some of the Western-division franchises.

  • Vance Joseph‘s long-rumored Broncos interview will be on Tuesday, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter). Joseph will follow Chiefs ST coordinator Dave Toub and Falcons OC Kyle Shanahan in interviewing for this position. The Colorado alum and current Miami DC has been most connected with the Denver job and was viewed as the favorite going into the weekend.
  • Despite deploying defensive player of the year candidate Khalil Mack and signing Bruce Irvin in free agency, the Raiders finished with a league-low 25 sacks. Jack Del Rio singled out the team’s inside pass-rushers as a culprit for this shortcoming. “Interior pass rush, it’s critical for us to get that going,” Del Rio said, via Jerry McDonald of the San Jose Mercury News. “I think Stacy McGee had 2.5 sacks, we got Mario Edwards Jr. back and he wasn’t a huge factor, and (Jihad Ward) wasn’t a huge factor. I didn’t feel we got that inside push.” The Raiders have several young players under contract here, including Denico Autry and full-time defensive tackles Dan Williams and Justin Ellis, but Mack and Irvin combined to record 18 of the team’s sacks.
  • Derek Carr, who said he would have played in the Super Bowl had the Raiders miraculously qualified without him, said he will be ready for the beginning of offseason workouts in April, Scott Bair of CSN Bay Area reports.
  • Teryl Austin has set up an interview time with the Chargers, with a Tuesday summit on tap. But the Rams‘ meeting the sides have been attached to remains in the to-be-determined category, ESPN.com’s Josina Anderson tweets. A Rams-Kyle Shanahan interview hasn’t been officially rescheduled, per Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports (Twitter link), after weather interrupted the team’s contingent after a McDaniels meeting in New England.

La Canfora’s Latest: Joseph, Eagles, Bradley

The Steelers’ 30-12 wild-card romp past the Dolphins is not expected to affect Vance Joseph‘s standing as an attractive head coaching candidate. Joseph will decide on which interviews he will take soon, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reports, with the expectation the Broncos’ job will be atop his list.

With the Broncos essentially down to to Joseph, Kyle Shanahan and Dave Toub among their finalists, La Canfora estimates this search might not last long after Joseph’s upcoming interview with Denver. Mike Klis of 9News notes that meeting is expected to occur in Denver early this week. The 44-year-old DC has been connected to five of the six teams in need of coaches, with the Jaguars being the only one to balk at the rising sideline talent thus far. According to PFR’s Head Coaching Search Tracker, Joseph is slated to interview with both the Broncos and 49ers but hasn’t yet decided on summits with the Bills, Chargers and Rams. He’s now free to do so after the Dolphins’ elimination.

Here’s more from around the coaching carousel.

  • The Eagles‘ decision not to allow quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo to interview for the Jets‘ OC job was not based on any grudge but rather a desire to see Carson Wentz develop under the instructor’s guidance. La Canfora also notes Teryl Austin hoped to hire DeFilippo as his OC if he ends up taking a head coaching job. The Eagles’ front office came out against that as well, intending to retain the position coach and former coordinator.
  • Gus Bradley continues to have options despite his historically unsuccessful HC tenure in Jacksonville. The former Seahawks DC is “by far” the favorite to become the Redskins‘ DC, but La Canfora notes Bradley still has a standing offer to become Anthony Lynn‘s top defensive coach should he get a head coaching job.
  • Josh McDaniels will remain a centerpiece in the NFL’s hiring period despite the Patriots being projected to advance deep in this year’s playoffs, with La Canfora expecting the 49ers to be a major player for the coach’s services. We heard on Saturday McDaniels holds the 49ers’ job in high esteem, but longtime friend and fellow Patriots staffer Nick Caserio turned down an interview request from the 49ers. San Francisco seems undeterred, though, and will likely still attempt to find a GM it can pair with the Patriots’ OC, per La Canfora.
  • Doug Marrone remains positioned to be given a “very strong look” by the Jaguars in their coaching search, La Canfora reports. The Jags have interviewed five outside coaches thus far but obviously know more about Marrone given his work with the team as the offensive line coach and interim HC the past two seasons.

NFL Coaching Updates: 1/7/17

Here’s the latest coming from the first week of the NFL’s January hiring period.

  • Just because Texans owner Bob McNair declared he wouldn’t fire Bill O’Brien doesn’t necessarily mean the coach will be back for a fourth year, with Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reporting O’Brien may decide to leave on his own accord. Sources informed Florio that O’Brien is unhappy with the Texans more so than the team being dissatisfied with his performance. Friction with GM Rick Smith again appears to be at the root of this, but Florio notes the team continues to maintain the parties don’t have to like each other but only need to work together. “I have a five-year contract here. I have two years left on my contract. I’m looking forward to coaching here, and I’m looking forward to getting ready for this next game,” O’Brien said after today’s wild-card win (via James Palmer of NFL.com, on Twitter).
  • The Rams are doing their homework on Redskins OC Sean McVay, Florio reports. Just 30, McVay would be the youngest head coach hired in NFL history, but the latest coming out of Los Angeles is a belief the wunderkind offensive guru could get the most out of Jared Goff. The Rams have cast a wide net for their next HC, with numerous candidates having already been interviewed or still on the docket. Florio deems a Sean Payton trade or a Jon Gruden hire unlikely at this juncture.
  • Saturday’s Rams/Josh McDaniels summit appears to have impacted the team’s meeting with Kyle Shanahan. Weather will force a postponement, with Rams representatives being unable to get out of Boston on time, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reports (on Twitter). The Jaguars, 49ers and Broncos have already met with the Falcons’ OC.
  • The Broncos are eyeing a coach that won’t interfere too much with the dominant defense the team has assembled in recent years, Florio writes, but that doesn’t necessarily disqualify Vance Joseph. Denver wants its next coach to preserve continuity defensively and fix an offense that has fallen off the historic pace of the Peyton Manning era. The team’s brass reportedly realizes Shanahan would be best suited of their three apparent finalists — Shanahan, Joseph and Chiefs ST coordinator Dave Toub — to do this but views Joseph as a quality candidate to coax the best effort out of their players.

AFC Coaching Notes: Broncos, Browns, Jaguars

Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan is set to interview with the Broncos today, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets that the Denver gig is the job that Shanahan “identifies with.” The reporter notes that the coordinator is also intrigued by the Jaguars head coaching position.

In a separate tweet, Rapoport notes that Shanahan will “be picky and patient” as he decides which opportunity he wants to pursue. As our head coaching tracker shows, the 37-year-old is also set to meet with the Rams and 49ers.

Let’s take a look at some other coaching notes coming out of the AFC…

  • Chiefs’ special teams coordinator Dave Toub interviewed for the Broncos head coaching gig this morning, and Mike Klis of Denver7 writes that the coach impressed the organization during the four-hour meeting.
  • Dolphins defensive coordinator Vance Joseph is considered a favorite for the Broncos head coaching gig. If he ends up getting the position, Albert Breer of MMQB.com tweets that former Chargers head coach Mike McCoy could be an option as Denver’s new offensive coordinator.
  • After firing Ray Horton yesterday, the Browns have started searching for a new defensive coordinator. Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com tweets that the organization reached out to former Jaguars head coach Gus Bradley regarding the opening. ESPN’s Pat McManamon writes that the team also approached Broncos defensive coordinator Wade Phillips.
  • We learned yesterday that Rams defensive coordinator Gregg Williams is in “prime position” to get the Browns defensive coordinator gig, and Toni Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com tweets that Williams would bring at least three additional Rams coaches to Cleveland (assuming he gets the job).
  • Fortunately for the Browns, it appears that at least one coach will be staying put. Cabot tweets that running backs coach Kirby Wilson isn’t expected to go elsewhere. The longtime coach is a “longtime friend” of Browns head coach Hue Jackson.

 

Vance Joseph Favorite For Broncos’ HC Job

Although he hasn’t met with Denver officials, Dolphins defensive coordinator Vance Joseph has emerged as the front-runner to become the Broncos’ head coach, multiple league and team sources told Mike Klis of 9NEWS. Sporting News’ Alex Marvez previously named Joseph as the likely successor to Gary Kubiak, citing Joseph’s connection with Broncos director of player personnel Matt Russell (Twitter link).

Vance Joseph (featured)

While Joseph hasn’t yet spoken with Denver’s brass this week, the former University of Colorado quarterback did interview with the club before it hired the now-retired Kubiak in January 2015. It’s also notable that Joseph once worked under the Broncos’ most recent defensive coordinator, Wade Phillips, in Houston.

“I have so much respect for that man,” Joseph said of Phillips in October (via Cameron Wolfe of the Denver Post).

Despite Joseph’s affinity for Phillips, Marvez reported Thursday that the latter is likely on his way out of Denver. If hired, Joseph would probably promote defensive backs coach Joe Woods to replace Phillips, whose contract is up.

Joseph, who’s preparing to counter the Steelers’ offense in this weekend’s wild-card round, is in the midst of his first season as a coordinator. While it hasn’t gone well statistically (Miami finished the regular season 18th in scoring, 19th in DVOA and 29th in total defense), Joseph is nonetheless drawing plenty of interest from teams without head coaches. That could add to the Broncos’ urgency to hire the 44-year-old, who’s facing competition from Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan – who prefers Denver’s job to others – and Chiefs special teams coach Dave Toub. Bills interim head coach Anthony Lynn‘s name has also come up, though the Broncos haven’t sought an interview with him, according to Klis (Twitter link).

Coaching/FO News & Rumors: 1/5/17

The Saints will have a significantly different coaching staff next year, as the team parted with assistants Joe Vitt (assistant head coach/linebackers), Bill Johnson (defensive line), Greg McMahon (special teams coordinator), Stan Kwan (assistant special teams) and James Willis (assistant linebackers) on Thursday, according to Sporting News’ Alex Marvez (Twitter link). These changes are a sign that head coach Sean Payton isn’t going anywhere, observes Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Vitt is the longest-tenured staff member to go, having served with the club since 2006. He filled in as New Orleans’ interim head coach when the NFL suspended Payton for the entire 2012 season because of the Bountygate scandal.

Let’s check in on more of the latest coaching- and front office-related happenings:

  • 49ers: With vacancies at general manager and head coach, the Niners are set to to interview a couple members of the Carolina organization. Panthers assistant general manager Brandon Beane and defensive coordinator Sean McDermott will meet with the 49ers next week, per FOX Sports’ Peter Schrager (Twitter links). Seahawks offensive line coach Tom Cable will also discuss the 49ers’ head coaching opening with the team next week, according to Tom Pelissero of USA Today (Twitter link).
  • Bills: Buffalo still has not submitted an official request to interview Eagles offensive coordinator Frank Reich, per Tim McManus of ESPN.com. There has been follow-through after the initial contact between the two sides, he adds (Twitter link).
  • Broncos: Defensive coordinator Wade Phillips, whose contract is expiring, is unlikely to return to Denver, reports Marvez. If Dolphins D-coordinator Vance Joseph becomes the Broncos’ head coach, Denver’s defensive backs coach, Joe Woods, would likely succeed Phillips (Twitter links).
  • Chargers: Buccaneers defensive coordinator Mike Smith interviewed with the Bolts on Thursday, becoming the first candidate to do so, reports Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune. The aforementioned Sean McDermott will follow him Friday, relays Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer. The club has also requested permission to interview Bills interim head coach Anthony Lynn, according to Rapoport (Twitter links here).
  • Rams: Los Angeles’ previously reported interview with Anthony Lynn will go down on Sunday, Mike Rodak of ESPN.com tweets.
  • Redskins: In addition to bouncing defensive coordinator Joe Barry, the Redskins also canned defensive line coach Robb Akey and defensive backs coach Perry Fewell on Thursday, via James Palmer of NFL.com (Twitter link). Panthers secondary coach Steve Wilks is a name to watch as the Redskins look for Barry’s successor, Rapoport tweets. Wilks has a history with Josh Norman dating back to their time together in Carolina.
  • Bookmark PFR’s Head Coaching Search Tracker for an up-to-date primer on who’s interviewing where.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Vance Joseph Hasn’t Talked With Broncos Yet

As shown in PFR’s Head Coaching Search Tracker, defensive coordinator Vance Joseph has already been linked to a number of jobs. However, we may need to pump the brakes on one potential gig. Joseph told reporters today that he has not talked to the Broncos during this cycle (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s James Walker). Vance Joseph (vertical)

[RELATED: PFR’s 2017 NFL Head Coaching Search Tracker]

Here’s what we do know: the Bills, Rams, Chargers, and 49ers have all requested interviews with Joseph. The Broncos did interview Joseph two years ago before hiring Gary Kubiak, but they have yet to loop him into the discussion this time around. Recently, Broncos GM John Elway said there are three or four candidates the team is “excited about,” but it’s not clear whether Joseph is a part of that exclusive group.

So far, Denver has booked interviews with Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, Chiefs special teams coach Dave Toub, and Bills interim head coach Anthony Lynn.