Broncos could make major change after Week 8?

Jun 6, 2022; Englewood, Colorado, USA; Denver Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett speaks to the media following OTA workouts at the UC Health Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

The Denver Broncos have been the most disappointing team in the NFL this season, and there are apparently some people who feel they may have already seen enough of their new head coach.

ESPN’s Dan Graziano wrote in his latest insider column that there has been chatter within NFL circles that Nathaniel Hackett’s job “could be on the line” depending on what happens when the Broncos face the Jacksonville Jaguars in London on Sunday. Graziano went on to say that he does not believe Hackett will be fired this early in his tenure, but it is noteworthy that people around the league have mentioned it as a possibility.

Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk is one of those people. He mentioned on “The Rich Eisen Show” this week that the Broncos’ new ownership group was not in place when Hackett was hired.

They’re 2-5, Russ is out and #BroncosCountry is heading to London in Week 8 — if another loss follows, could Nathaniel Hackett get got? @ProFootballTalk told us anything is possible and threw out one potential replacement:#NFL pic.twitter.com/GWPYUgK1cv

— Rich Eisen Show (@RichEisenShow) October 24, 2022

“What I know is they have a group of owners who did not hire Nathaniel Hackett and the Walmart crowd, they are smart, they are rich and they are ruthless. And I mean that in the most positive way that the word ruthless can be used,” Florio said. “They are not going to make anything other than a calculated, strategic business decision about what to do with Nathaniel Hackett.”

If Hackett were fired after just eight games, that would be one of the quickest job-based terminations for a head coach in NFL history. We doubt it will happen, but there is no question the former Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator has looked in over his head.

The Broncos are 2-5 and are averaging an NFL-worst 14.3 points per game. The expectation for Hackett was that he would succeed right away after Denver acquired Russell Wilson in a blockbuster trade. Instead, the coach has made multiple inexcusable errors late in games. Denver’s new ownership group will likely give him more time to rectify those mistakes, but Hackett cannot be feeling great about his job security.