Details Emerge on Rex Ryan's Visit to Broncos HQ & His Demands

What is Rex Ryan looking for in the Denver Broncos?

The Denver Broncos’ pursuit of a new defensive coordinator is nearing its conclusion. A day after head coach Sean Payton had former Broncos head coach and recent Arizona Cardinals defensive coordinator Vance Joseph in Dove Valley to conduct an eight-hour interview, the team brought in former long-time defensive-oriented coach and football personality Rex Ryan on Saturday.

Ryan’s interview in Denver should come as little surprise given such insiders as Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo has stated that Ryan is a possible “favorite” for the Broncos' defensive coordinator vacancy. But it was ESPN insider Adam Schefter who confirmed Ryan's interview in Denver and the parameters that would coax him back to the NFL sideline. 

"Former Jets and Bills HC and current ESPN analyst Rex Ryan interviewed Saturday in Denver for the Broncos DC job. Ryan and former Broncos HC Vance Joseph are amongst a handful of candidates for the job; Ryan has told ESPN he would only leave the network 'for the perfect situation,'" Schefter reported on Sunday. 

Former Jets and Bills HC and current ESPN analyst Rex Ryan interviewed Saturday in Denver for the Broncos DC job. Ryan and former Broncos HC Vance Joseph are amongst a handful of candidates for the job; Ryan has told ESPN he would only leave the network “for the perfect… pic.twitter.com/5Uyw6O8Oy2

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 19, 2023

As a defensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens from 2005-08, Ryan’s defenses were some of the best in the entire NFL, averaging the sixth-best EPA/Play and the fourth-best Football Outsiders' Defensive DVOA. Ryan would continue to have defensive success early on as head coach of the New York Jets, where the first three years in East Rutherford, his defenses would rank first, sixth, and fourth in EPA/Play, and first, sixth, and second in defensive DVOA.

Ryan's defenses have overall been really good during his time as a defensive coordinator and head coach. They averaged as the 11th best defense in EPA/Play & the 10th best defense via Football Outsiders' Defensive DVOA

A tad concerning drop off near the end of his last gigs tho https://t.co/1qIEY9xg8l pic.twitter.com/30078a3AEy

— Nick Kendell 🏔 (@NickKendellMHH) February 19, 2023

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Somewhat concerningly, though, Ryan’s defenses would drop off dramatically from 2012-14 in New York and continue to struggle in 2015 and 2016 with the Buffalo Bills. Averaging as the 19th-best defense in both EPA/Play and defensive DVOA, the downward trend of his defenses would eventually find Ryan out of the league to this day. 

On average, as a defensive coordinator and head coach, Ryan's defenses put up rather good rankings at 11th in EPA/Play and 10th in Defensive DVOA. While Ryan has been out of the coaching world since Buffalo fired him following the 2016 season, he has found himself continuing to own whichever room he is in, developing into one of the more boisterous voices covering the NFL. 

Could that "perfect situation" Ryan is looking for be with a talented defense in Denver coaching under Payton?

If Payton and the Broncos were to hire Ryan, he would likely bring over a system that would continue to crank up pressure (the Broncos’ had the fourth-highest blitz rate in the NFL in 2022 at 32.9%) utilizing multiple defensive fronts. While simulated pressures have become much more of the norm in today’s NFL, Ryan’s usage of different bodies to hide the blitz but then come after the quarterback, show blitz but then drop back into coverage, bring extra rushers, or show blitz and not come at all will likely play nicely in the current trends of the more pressure-oriented teams.

How Ryan would play coverages on the back end remains to be seen. With teams playing far more sub-package defenses with two-deep safety shells, long gone are the days of the extremely static Cover 3 looks that reigned supreme during the end of Ryan’s previous stint coaching at the NFL level. 

The game has evolved since Ryan coached six years ago, and how he will have evolved in his defenses over that tenure will impact his success if he does coach again. While Ryan will be coaching the defensive side of the football, he may have to atone for some statements he made while covering the Broncos last season on ESPN.

Ryan the Broncos and how quarterback Russell Wilson was playing “terrible” in a Get Up segment following Denver’s 11-10 Week 3 win over the San Francisco 49ers. Ryan criticized how the Broncos ran their offense under Wilson and Nathaniel Hackett, claiming that Denver should run the football far more, play from the gun, lean into play-action, and stop with the quick-pass/high-volume aerial attack predicated on timing routes.

Perhaps Patyon will agree with Ryan and that Denver will need to become a 'Wilson offense,' which “starts with predominantly running the football.” It remains to be seen whether Ryan is still as talented a defensive schemer and play-caller as he was nearly a decade ago. 

With Ryan and Joseph visiting Dove Valley, it feels like the Broncos are exceedingly close to hiring their defensive coordinator.

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