Joseph Begins Overhauling Broncos Coaching Staff
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Not even a year ago they were riding firetrucks through downtown Denver with the players to celebrate their Super Bowl 50 victory. Now, the Broncos' coaching staff is undergoing a major overhaul.
They'll have new offensive, defensive and special teams coordinators in 2017 to go with their new coach, Vance Joseph.
The Broncos have terminated the contracts of offensive coordinator Rick Dennison, O-line coach Clancy Barone and tight ends coach Brian Pariani. Those moves were widely expected even if Gary Kubiak hadn't abruptly resigned last week.
Defensive coordinator Wade Phillips is reportedly finalizing a deal to join the Los Angeles Rams and special teams coordinator Joe DeCamillis was hired by the Jacksonville Jaguars on Friday.
Several other Kubiak assistants could be cleaning out their offices as Joseph assembles his staff.
Joseph wants to infuse his offense with energy and creativity.
"I want an offense that is attacking," he said. "I want an offense with swagger and I want an offense that's up-tempo and has a chance to score a lot of points."
Mike McCoy, the former Chargers head coach, met with Joseph about being his offensive coordinator, a position he held from 2009-12 in Denver before getting his first head coaching opportunity in San Diego.
With Phillips leaving, the focus shifts to Joe Woods, who spent the last two seasons coaching Denver's "No Fly Zone" secondary that produced the No. 1 pass defense each year.
Unlike general manager John Elway's first two hires, John Fox and Kubiak, who had head coaching experience when they arrived, the 44-year-old Joseph is a first-time head coach. He has just one year of experience as defensive coordinator, last year in Miami, and Elway said he will have to "grow on the run."
So, Elway is giving more advice this time around as his head coach hires his staff.
"I hope I can help him," Elway said. "With the experience that I've had, not only as a player but now in this role I've been in as GM, I'm hoping to help him tremendously. Vance knows what he wants on offense on his staff and as well as offensively. I can give input. Ultimately it is Vance's staff."
Joseph inherits a defense that features All Pros Von Miller, Aqib Talib and Chris Harris Jr. but struggled against the run after losing Malik Jackson to free agency and Vance Walker to a knee injury.
He takes over an offense that sputtered behind young QBs Trevor Siemian and Paxton Lynch.
The Broncos finished 27th in the NFL in 2016 when an inability to solve slow starts, leaky line play and poor production in the passing game outside of Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders combined to neutralize the team's defensive strengths.
By ARNIE STAPLETON, AP Pro Football Writer
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