A year ago, the Denver Broncos thought they found their ideal leader, heading into the season with a new, bright offensive mind in first-year coach Nathaniel Hackett, plus a superstar quarterback with Russell Wilson. Broncos country was filled with excitement, feeling like they had assembled a team capable of reaching the Super Bowl.
As we all know, a year later, that’s been far from the case. The Broncos became just the fifth team to fire a head coach in their first season since 1970, and Wilson has looked like a shell of his former self.
But the Broncos don’t want to repeat their previous mistakes and reportedly have their eyes set on making a splash this offseason with their next coaching hire.
Related: Russell Wilson to re-evaluate entire routine heading into 2023
Denver Broncos ownership willing to be ‘ultra aggressive’
Lost in all the offseason activity from the Broncos last season was the fact that the organization has since changed ownership groups after trading for Wilson and hiring Hackett. In other words, moving on from the now-fired head coach was easy, as it was never their decision in the first place.
With a chance to put their own stamp on their new franchise, the Walton-Penner ownership group reportedly plans to be “ultra-aggressive” in their pursuit of their next head coach, according to Adam Schefter.
If there’s one thing the Broncos’ new leadership has shown, it’s a willingness to spend big bucks, after securing the franchise for a new NFL record $4.65 billion.
This likely means they will not hesitate to offer a ridiculous amount for their next, ideally proven, head coach. According to Ian Rapoport, this group could include big names such as Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh, or Dallas’ defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, who interviewed for the role last season.
Another option could be to try and trade for the rights of New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton, who is looking to return to NFL sidelines. Yet, there are also reports that the Saints would demand a first-round pick in exchange for Payton, and the Broncos may not want to part with what projects as the 26th pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Either way, expect the Broncos to chase the biggest names on the market when deciding on their next head coach, hoping to get better results out of their franchise QB starting during the 2023-24 football season.
Related: 5 best Denver Broncos coaching candidates to replace Nathaniel Hackett