5 candidates to replace Vance Joseph as Denver Broncos head coach

With Vance Joseph all but certainly heading into his final two games, here are five candidates to be the next head coach of the Denver Broncos.

If this week’s reports are true, Vance Joseph was almost one-and-done as Denver Broncos head coach. But he got a second chance this year, and now that the Broncos are 6-8 the seat under him is hotter than ever. According to Pro Football Talk, via a league source, a new head coach is indeed expected in Denver.

General manager John Elway will now be hiring his fourth head coach since taking over in 2011. That is a very long leash, provided in equal parts by his successful history as a Broncos’ quarterback and the franchise’s unsettled ownership structure as Pat Bowlen deals with Alzheimer’s. In concert with another head coach, finding a quarterback of the future is an ongoing need for the Broncos.

Joseph has shown himself to be in over his head as a head coach, so Elway and CEO Joe Ellis may turn toward candidates with experience above any others.

Barring a change of course and Joseph getting a third season, here are five candidates to be the next head coach of the Denver Broncos.

5. Vic Fangio

Fangio is in his fourth season as Chicago Bears defensive coordinator, and he has orchestrated one of the league’s best defenses across the board this season. The addition of Khalil Mack surely helped Chicago’s defense reach a new level, but Fangio is still one of the most respected defensive coordinators in the NFL even if he’s not a name casual fans readily know.

At 60 years old Fangio has somehow never been a head coach at any level, and it’s definitely possible he just doesn’t want to make that leap. But when they embark on a search to replace Joseph, Elway and company would do well to find out what Fangio is thinking.