NFL exec says Broncos could face 1 major issue after season

Jun 13, 2022; Englewood, CO, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson (3) during mini camp drills at the UCHealth Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

The Nathaniel Hackett era is expected to be a very brief one in Denver, but the Broncos will face another dilemma if and when they fire their head coach — they have to find a replacement.

At least one NFL executive believes that will prove to be a difficult task for the Broncos. Matt Lombardo of Heavy spoke with several NFL execs about the problems Denver might face this upcoming offseason. One scouting director from an NFC South team said finding a replacement for Hackett will not be easy given how the Broncos have looked after the Russell Wilson trade.

“Remember, none of the really good candidates will want that job,” the scouting director said.

The same executive speculates that the Broncos will also have a tough time attracting free agents.

“[Wilson] looks done,” the scouting director said. “But they are married to
him. So they need to build around him for next year. But good luck getting free agents.”

The Broncos thought Hackett would continue the trend of young, offensive-minded coaches finding success in head coaching roles. They were expected to be one of the best teams in the AFC after acquiring Wilson, but the trade has been disastrous thus far. They have less than $15 million in salary cap space thanks in part to the massive $245 million contract they gave Wilson before he even played a snap for them.

Wilson recently made a major change to Denver’s offense, but it did not seem to help. The Broncos fell to 3-8 with their embarrassing loss to the Carolina Panthers on Sunday. One of the members of Denver’s elite defense seemed irate with Wilson at one point in that game (video here).

Wilson is not as bad as he has looked this season, but the Broncos clearly need to revamp their offense. That will be difficult to do if they cannot attract reputable coaches.