Report: Rams Secondary Coach Ejiro Evero 'Leading Candidate' for Broncos DC

The Broncos' new head coach might have his heart set on a defensive coordinator.

With the Denver Broncos having named Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett their new head coach, now the question remains: who will become the new coordinators?

The Broncos will need to fill the offensive, defensive, and special teams coordinator jobs, and one name mentioned to oversee the defense is a current Los Angeles Rams assistant who has close ties with Hackett.

Mike Garafolo spoke on NFL Network’s Good Morning Football show to talk about Ejiro Evero, the current Rams secondary coach and passing game coordinator, as a name to watch for the Broncos defensive coordinator job.

More from @gmfb on Nathaniel Hackett as new #Broncos head coach and, per me and @RapSheet, a leading candidate for defensive coordinator in Denver: #Rams assistant Ejiro Evero. pic.twitter.com/qWUy0jEGYH

— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) January 27, 2022

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The connection between Hackett and Evero is that the two were former college football teammates at the University of California-Davis.

However, Evero has worked under multiple, notable defensive coordinators during his time in the NFL. He has been with the Rams since 2017, starting as the safeties coach under Wade Phillips, a former  Broncos head coach and defensive coordinator.

Evero stayed with the Rams this year when Raheem Morris took over as defensive coordinator in 2021, being promoted to secondary coach. Phillips and Morris aren’t the only top defensive coordinators Evero has learned from. 

Evero also learned from former Broncos head coach Vic Fangio, having spent multiple seasons with the San Francisco 49ers, including a period when Fangio was the defensive coordinator.

That stint with the Niners included one season in 2010 as a quality control coach, two years as a defensive assistant coach in 2012 and 2013, and as an offensive assistant coach in 2014 and 2015.

Evero also spent a year with the Packers in 2016 as a defensive quality control coach, though Hackett wasn’t with the Packers that year. But that was when Evero worked under another notable defensive coordinator in Dom Capers.

Evero was also a defensive quality control coach with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2007-09.

While the last time the Broncos went with a first-year defensive coordinator — that being Joe Woods in 2017 — didn’t work out as expected, that doesn’t mean the Broncos should shy away from a first-year coordinator again.

Evero would certainly have the talent to work with in the secondary, with Justin Simmons, Ronald Darby, and Patrick Surtain II in the fold, as well as players who have shown promise such as Caden Sterns and Michael Ojemudia.

Plus, a coach who has had a chance to learn from top defensive coordinators such as Phillips, Morris, Fangio, and Capers may have picked up a few ideas about what it takes to run a top defense.

We’ll continue to keep you updated on how the Broncos fill out their coaching staff under Hackett.

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