5 candidates to be the next Denver Broncos head coach

5 candidates to replace Vance Joseph as Denver Broncos head coach

DENVER, CO - DECEMBER 15: Head coach Vance Joseph of the Denver Broncos on the sidelines during the third quarter against the Cleveland Browns. The Denver Broncos hosted the Cleveland Browns at Broncos Stadium at Mile High in Denver, Colorado on Saturday, December 15, 2018. (Photo by Eric Lutzens/The Denver Post via Getty Images) /

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2. Jim Harbaugh

Earlier this week Pro Football Talk reported at least one NFL team is ready to make a run at Harbaugh, who is nearing the end of his fourth season at Michigan. His history says four years is his shelf life in a coaching job before he moves on, via his own success or otherwise. On the list of current or most likely head coaching openings, the Broncos can easily be placed as one of the teams ready to try to coax Harbaugh back to the NFL.

Harbaugh has already said he is not leaving Michigan after this season, as the Wolverines get set to end their season in the Peach Bowl against Florida on Dec. 29. But it seems inevitable he’ll eventually return to the NFL, and the annual rumors he’ll go back are not going to go away.

A bad relationship with then-49ers general manager Trent Baalke when he was head coach there suggests Harbaugh will want some level of personnel control if he ever did go back to the NFL. Elway showed he can sell a big name on coming to Denver when he got Peyton Manning, and if he’s willing to give up some of his control over personnel decisions Harbaugh could become the guy to replace Joseph.

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