Broncos' Short-List of HC Targets: Pros & Cons

What do the Denver Broncos' six head-coaching candidates bring to the table?

The Denver Broncos' head-coaching search is on the cusp of going into overdrive this week. Denver has already interviewed three of six candidates for its head coach vacancy. 

That list has a few hot names, and one thing is certain, this will be a much different search than it was last offseason. The Broncos have new ownership in place, and the Walton/Penner group has made it very clear that it will do whatever it takes to bring the winning ways back to the Mile High City. 

That could include paying big money to the coach the Broncos want for the job. Let's examine Denver's list of targets and weigh each candidate's pros and cons.

Jim Harbaugh | Michigan HC

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Harbaugh is one of the most sought after coaches this cycle and will probably command a large contract. He is the exact opposite of the one-and-done Nathaniel Hackett and has a history of turning around struggling teams. 

Harbaugh could be exactly what the doctor ordered for the Broncos.

Pros

• Experienced head coach
• Proven success in both college and NFL
• Turned around Niners, Stanford, and Michigan
• Went to a Super Bowl & two NFC Championship games in four seasons
• Has a 'no nonsense' coaching style
• Got the most out of QBsAlex Smith & Colin Kaepernick
• Can be trusted to build a good coaching staff
• Will most likely keep Ejiro Evero as defensive coordinator (unless hired elsewhere)
• Did not have a losing season in the NFL
• .695 winning percentage in NFL
• Would be a significant change from Hackett’s style
• Solid offensive mind

Cons

• Can be hard to work with
• Has not won a championship in either college or the NFL
• Wants full control

What happens next for the Broncos? Don't miss out on any news and analysis! Take a second and sign up for our free newsletter and get breaking Broncos news delivered to your inbox daily!

Sean Payton | Ex-New Orleans HC

Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports

Payton has a proven track record of both winning in the NFL and helping his quarterback to elite status. Both are needed in the Mile High City. 

If the Broncos ownership group can look past the marks on Payton's character and relinquish the draft capital needed to acquire his rights via trade from New Orleans, he has what it takes to make the franchise a winner.

Pros

• Experienced head coach
• Proven success in the NFL
• Won a Super Bowl
• Turned Drew Brees into a Hall of Fame QB
• Can build a solid coaching staff
• A significant change from Hackett’s style
• Solid offensive mind

Cons

• Draft picks will be needed to acquire his services
• The Bountygate scandal
• Jumped ship when Saints’ salary cap & QB instability became issues
• Wants full control
• Only got to one Super Bowl with a future Hall of Fame QB 
• May not keep Evero as DC

Dan Quinn | Dallas Cowboys DC

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Quinn has previous NFL head-coaching experience and was not a complete failure in his first stint as some retreads have been. The question on everyone’s mind is, did his time coaching the Atlanta Falcons provide enough for him to grow and provide solutions to the mistakes from his prior stint?

Pros

• Experienced head coach
• Coached in three Super Bowls (one as HC of Falcons, two as DC for Seahawks)
• Connects with players
• Well-liked by people who have worked with him
• Good defensive coordinator
• Turned around Cowboys' defense

Cons

• His Falcons had the propensity to choke with the biggest Super Bowl collapse of all time
• Churned through defensive coordinators with Falcons
• Struggled to evaluate & hire OCs post-Shanahan even though he had Matt LaFleur as an option on the staff
• Difficulty delegating DC duties

Ejiro Evero | Denver Broncos DC

Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

If anyone on the current Broncos staff deserves a shot at the head-coaching position, it is Evero. He lacks experience, but he is a hot prospect for head coach openings and will eventually land that gig. 

Denver's ownership group likes Evero, as evidenced by his garnering an interview for the job, but not having any head-coaching experience may be the deciding factor after the Hackett experience.

Pros

• Well-liked by players
• Broncos defense was a top-10 unit in the NFL
• Connects with players
• Has a knack for putting players in the right position to succeed
• Kept the defense playing well, even with all the injuries & Bradley Chubb trade

Cons

• No head-coaching experience
• Inexperience assembling a staff
• Only a single season as a defensive coordinator

DeMeco Ryans | San Francisco 49ers DC

Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Another hot candidate in this hiring cycle, Ryans will likely land a job this offseason. His success as a defensive coordinator in only two seasons cannot be denied, but again, the Broncos may want a coach with more experience. 

Ryans has only worked for one coach, one organization, and has no head-coaching experience.

Pros

• An experienced coordinator
• Coached the Niners' defense to the top unit in the NFL in 2022
• Connects with players
• Former Pro Bowl linebacker
• Learned under Kyle Shanahan

Cons

• No head-coaching experience
• Inexperience assembling a staff

Raheem Morris | Los Angeles Rams DC

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The story for Morris may be that he just got his first head-coaching gig too soon. He failed in his first stint in Tampa Bay, and as an interim coach, but that experience may have taught him what he needs in his second go-around. 

Like Quinn, that is the question that must be answered, but it may be harder to answer for Morris. He is probably the longest shot of all the candidates to land the Broncos' job.

Pros

• An experienced head coach
• Has experience coaching offense and defense
• Connects with players
• A good defensive coordinator
• Would most likely keep Evero as DC
• Learned under Sean McVay and Mike Shanahan

Cons

• .356 record as a head coach
• Struggled with hiring the right DC in past stint as head coach

Jim Caldwell | Ex-Indianapolis & Detroit HC

Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports

It's a bit of a surprise that the Broncos are interested in Caldwell, but he is an experienced head coach who had success turning around the Detroit Lions. If hired, it would be his third stint as a head coach.

Pros

• An experienced head coach
• Coached the Colts to Super Bowl XLIV & won a World Championship as OC
• Turned around the Lions franchise in a single season
• .554 record as a head coach
• Well-liked by players
• Very good with quarterbacks

Cons

• Did not win Super Bowl as HC with Peyton Manning at QB
• Could not find ultimate success at the helm of two franchises
• Did not win a playoff game as Lions HC & only two with the Colts

---

Follow Mile High Huddle on Twitter and Facebook.

Subscribe to Mile High Huddle on YouTube for daily Broncos live-stream podcasts!